Christmas Surprise
by Twilightlovergirl
Summary: It's Christmas Eve in Forks and Renee decides to surprise Bella. What happens when she see Renesmee? Will Edward and Bella have to tell Renee and Charlie about you know what! THIS IS THE ORIGINAL! Complete!
1. Disclaimer & Author's Note (Please Read)

**Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight, well I do own Twilight but she's my horse but that's not what we are talking about now are we. All rights belong to the amazing Stephenie Meyer. **

**Summary: It's Christmas Eve in Forks and Renee decides to surprise Bella for Christmas. What happens when she sees Renesmee? Will Edward and Bella have to tell Renee and Charlie about you know what? **

I also have the disclaimer on the first chapter cause I really don't want to have to explain myself every chapter.

THIS IS THE ORIGINAL! THE REVAMPED IS A SEPARATE STORY DUE TO REQUEST.

There are errors and grammar mistakes.

The revamped version is 100% better!

Enjoy!

Okay so here is the scoop. Out of requests given to me via PM I reposted the original version of 'Christmas Surprise' so here is it. I combined a lot of the chapters so I didn't have to post 50 plus some chapters. Please follow and review on the revamped version.

Thank you my lovelies!

Sunshine


	2. Chapter 1

Christmas Surprise

Chapter One: Well Here Goes Nothing

Bella Cullen's Point Of View

It's Christmas Eve in Forks Washington and I still can't believe it's been a whole year since the Volturi had come and gone.

Thank God nobody was hurt...well physically; I don't know what I would have done if something happened to my family, my little Renesmee or my Edward.

Edward drove silently over to my father's house in the silver Volvo.

His hand was in mine and with our daughter, Nessie jumping up and down in the back seat. I truly don't know how she was managing it with her seatbelt on.

Her growth has slowed quite a bit, which Edward and I are grateful to have our baby stay a baby a little longer. Renesmee looks like a small five year old with the brain as someone as old as Edward.

I smirked and squeezed Edward's large hand, God I loved my husband. I don't know why I didn't marry Edward sooner than I did, but it all worked out in the end.

We pulled onto Charlie's street and I thought about how much our lives have changed.

Charlie and Sue Clearwater had been dating a little since before the whole Volturi incident last year and they married last month, before Thanksgiving.

The wedding was beautiful and small; Alice of course planned it, we did managed to rein her in a lot.

Edward, Renesmee and I along with all of the Cullens went since it was held at our house in the front yard meadow.

All the wolves were there along with pretty much the entire reservation.

Since Jacob's imprint on my daughter, the Quileute's and the Cullen's are getting along much better. Not perfect, but better.

The treaty is still very much intact, just with a few loopholes.

There are still two packs and there will always be two packs, since Jacob is true alpha and he won't back down.

(Jacob's pack consists of himself, Seth, Leah, Quil and Embry, which they are all at the Cullen house the majority of the time; along with Quil's imprint little Claire.)

(Sam's pack consists of himself, Paul, Jared, Collin, Brady and seven other wolves I don't really know.) Sam, Paul and Jared will soon stop phasing to be with their imprints, Emily, Rachel and Kim.

Quil will probably stop phasing in about eighteen, nineteen years when Claire is of legal age.

Embry, Collin, Brady and the seven others will stop phasing when they find their imprints.

Jacob will always be with us and I have a feeling Seth and Leah will be too. I won't be surprised if Seth imprints on a vampire himself. He refers himself to be the vampire guard dog anyways.

Charlie was going to be told of the world of vampires last week since he is now part of the counsel but Edward and I had Jacob to put it off until we could tell him ourselves.

Maybe?

Edward pulled up in front of the old snow covered pine tree in the front of Charlie's house and an odd look appeared on his face. It was in-between wonder and shock.

"What is it, love?" I asked, suddenly worried something was wrong.

Renesmee was now on my lap looking towards her grandfather's house and I knew she was about to run in.

"Your mom's here." Edward said after a moment of thought and just has he said that before we could tell her to wait for us, Renesmee was out the door and into the house.

Edward and I looked at each other and then shrugged it off.

Well this was going to be fun.

Edward and I walked hand in hand up to the house and we quickly ran upstairs, wanting to be out on Renee's view.

The house smelled of sweet peppermint and pine. I loved it still, even as a vampire.

Renee, Charlie and Sue were down stairs in the living room. Renesmee was about to make her entrance.

We listened quietly to see what Renee was saying and I was getting a play by play on her thoughts via Edward.

Well here goes nothing.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Well what did you think? Huh? Huh? Huh? **

**Let me know and if you have already reviewed and can't; Please send me a PM. **

**Thank you my lovely readers.**


	3. Chapter 2

Chapter Two: In Coming!

Renee's Point Of View

I was so excited; I could hardly sit still!

I was going to surprise my Bella this year for Christmas and I begged Charlie not to say anything to her.

I know it probably drove him nuts to keep this away from her but I'm so happy he did.

Oh my gosh, she's going to be so surprised.

Wow I'm overly giddy!

Alight Renee calm down, oh who am I kidding I'm not going to calm down.

I am way to excited.

I still can't believe it's been over a year since Bella's been married, she made it longer than her dad and I did, through dating and all.

Sadly I couldn't make it to Charlie's and Sue's wedding because Phil had a big game in Maine.

I felt bad but was quickly told is was fine by Charlie and Sue themselves.

I was currently sitting on the same old sofa in Charlie's living room, the same sofa Charlie and I had bought together all those years ago, the same sofa my water broke on.

I wondered briefly when the last time he cleaned it was.

I quickly dismissed it and tried to refocused myself.

Anyways Charlie and Sue were seated on the loveseat in the corner of the room and we were all watching some Christmas ballgame.

Of course I wasn't watching the game, I was just staring at the screen thinking about Bella and when she will get there.

Ahhh when will she get here?

That's when I heard the front door screech open and close shut, but the thing is I didn't see anything or anybody.

I looked over at Charlie as he cocked his head to the side and heaved himself up off the loveseat and walked towards the door.

"Hi, my baby girl!" Charlie's voice was purely joyous and upbeat.

I don't think I have ever heard Charlie sound like that, well other than when Bella was first born.

Who was it? I wondered to myself.

"Hey Sue, look what I found in the front room."

Charlie came back into the living room with a little girl in his arms, her face was turned away from me, but from what I could see she was a beauty.

She was looking towards Sue and she had said something too low for me to make out, but Charlie nodded and she was placed on her feet, her bouncy bronze curls were hanging down to her waist.

She looked around five years old and she was indeed beautiful, even though I still couldn't see her face.

She ran, well no she glided over to Sue and hugged her tightly.

Sue laughed lightly and kissed her forehead, the little girl giggled and it sounded light bells tinkling from wall to wall.

I heard the door open and shut again and saw a big muscular guy walk in, carrying a bag of chips and a couple gifts; he placed the gifts under the small tree in the corner; never looking up from the bag he was reading.

Why was the bag to interested.

"Hey Charlie, Sue." He said in a deep voice.

"Jakey!"

The little girl jumped off Sue's lap and ran into the arms of this guy.

I have never felt more in the dark; who was this guy and who was this girl?

Why wasn't anyone telling me anything?

"Hey Squirt!" The guy said as he dropped the bag to capture the little girl.

"Jacob, where is everyone else?" Sue asked softly.

Jacob?

This was Jacob!

Thy Jacob?

I think my jaw dropped to the floor.

He shrugged his big shoulders.

"Seth and Leah are on the way and the Cullens will be here in a few minutes, twenty tops. Edward and Bells are here of course."

The little girl placed her little hand on Jacob's copper skin and he chuckled lightly and set her down, she ran through the house and disappeared out of sight.

"So you're the famous Jacob."

I decided to introduce myself since no one else was going to do it.

He jerked his face in my direction and smiled.

"Why yes I am, I'm Jacob Black. The bold and the handsome. The brave and the muscular"

Charlie hit him in the head with the remote laughing as he did so.

"Jake this is Renee. Bells' mom."

Realization crossed his face.

"Renee," he nodded his head and then smiled softly.

Jacob picked up the bag of chips and went into the kitchen.

"Charlie who was that beautiful little girl?"

Charlie's face went a little red and then he smiled.

"That's Nessie. She should be around her somewhere."

He looked around and then behind him.

"Nessie, honey can you come back in here please?" Charlie called out. Wow his voice leaked love for this little girl. Who was she?

"She's with her mom right now Charlie she will be down here in a minute." A tinkling bell like voice came from the other room.

"Alice, honey your here!"

Charlie went over to Alice and hugged her and shook Jasper's hand.

"Rosalie and Emmett are getting the rest of the presents out of the car."

Not a minute after Alice said that, in comes burly Emmett and beautiful Rosalie, followed by Esme and Carlisle arms filled with shiny wrapped presents.

They place the huge amount of gifts under the tiny tree and join us in the living room.

Carlisle and Esme placed the enormous amount of presents under Charlie's tiny green artificial tree.

I wondered briefly what could be in them. Esme came over to me and pulled me into a tight hug.

"It's great to see you Renee." She said as she pulled back.

"You too Esme." I smiled at her.

After all the Cullen's well minus Edward and my daughter, hugged and or greeted me, they removed their heavy parkas and hung them on the coat rack by the door.

I'm surprised the coat rack didn't fall over.

Then, again the door opened and shut, and in came two tall Quileutes.

They walked in and sat down next to Sue and Charlie on the floor.

I looked over at Charlie in question.

"Oh sorry, Renee this is Sue's son Seth and daughter Leah." Charlie informed me and I smiled and nodded at them.

They mumbled a quiet 'hello'.

"Uncle Seth!" A tinkling voice came out of nowhere.

Nessie ran gracefully down the stairs and straight to Seth.

"Hey there squirt." Seth chuckled lightly.

Nessie talked quietly to him and then ran over to Charlie.

Not long after she sat down on Charlie's lap she got down and ran towards the kitchen, I followed her with my eyes and saw her run straight to Edward.

I noticed quickly that her and Edward's hair matched perfectly but I quickly disregarded it.

He was too young to have a child that age and plus that would mean he cheated on my daughter.

So it was a moot point.

Also Bella told me her and Edward were both virgins until their wedding night and she wouldn't lie to me.

"Edward!" I stood and lunged a hug at him.

He gave me an awkward one arm hug since little Nessie was in his other.

"What a surprise Renee. Bella will be so excited." Edward's sexy, smooth voice made my heart jump.

"Where is my daughter anyways Edward?" I asked as I crossed my arms in front of me. Nessie giggled softly and buried her face in Edward's neck.

"She's upstairs Renee. She should be down in a short while." Edward answered calmly, switching Nessie into his other arm and bounced her lightly.

"Ness did you say hi to Renee?" Edward asked softly and sternly all the same.

Little Nessie shook her head and turned to look at me.

I gasped as quietly as I possibly could. It was the first time I got to see her face completely.

I was right she was beautiful, her bronze ringlets curled around her angelic face with a trace of a light blush above her gorgeous cheek bones and set in the most beautiful face God could have made, was a pair of dazzling chocolate brown eyes.

Nessie's large doe eyes shown with excitement.

"Hello Renee, I'm Nessie. It's wonderful to meet you."

Little Nessie stuck out her tiny, long fingered hand towards me.

I barely managed to not gasped out loud again.

Not only was her voice just as belle like as her whisper had been but she had to be the most polite child I have ever met.

"It is Nessie. I'm please to meet you." I said with a smile as I extended my had to hers. Nessie's face broke out in an award winning smile, showing a set of perfect, straight and white teeth.

I was instantly jealous.

She will never have to wear those dreaded braces like I had to.

Edward sat Nessie down and watched as she ran off back into the kitchen.

"She's so polite." I said to myself out loud.

Edward nodded. "She is." Edward agreed, smiling at the direction little Nessie went.

Edward turned his head towards the stairs as a beautiful, no, more than beautiful brunette with striking golden brown eyes, came down the stairs.

She was even more beautiful even than Rosalie.

She reminded me of my Bella.

Nessie came out of the kitchen, smiled and ran straight to the beautiful brunette.

"Hi my baby!" The beautiful lady said, her voice filled with love for the child.

She wrapped her arms around little Nessie.

Her baby?

Really?

I could see the beautiful woman and Nessie but they couldn't see me.

Edward smiled, no well he was practically glowing with pride.

Was Nessie his daughter?

My earlier mind battle was coming back.

"Edward." I whispered as I motioned for him to come closer to me.

"Edward is Nessie your daughter?"

I was nearly appalled at the idea of Edward having a child without my daughter.

Edward glanced back at Nessie and the woman.

He looked back at me in wonder.

"Yes of course. I'm so sorry I thought you knew. My beautiful Nessie. Just as lovely as her mother."

I crossed my arms and felt my anger rise.

"Bella said you were both virgins before you got married."

Edward's eyes widened and he looked straight into my eyes.

"Bella and I were both pure on our wedding night. I assure you completely I have and will only be with Bella." Edward said with pure love in his eyes.

The beautiful brunette walked over after Edward had finished his truthful speech.

If what he was saying was true then Bella had a baby.

I was a grandmother?

"Mom?" The brunette asked.

"What are you doing here? What a great surprise!" The brunette hugged my tightly. "Bella?" I gasped out and returned the hug to my daughter.

"My gosh you look gorgeous, baby. I didn't even recognize you, married life suits you!" I practically squealed.

Bella chuckled and pulled back, placing her hand on Nessie.

"Bella? How?" I tried counting and got nothing.

I stared at Nessie looking at her brown eyes.

"Bella how old is Nessie?" I asked before I started panicking.

Bella smiled and pointed into the living room.

"Let's talk in there." She said softly and gently nudged Nessie towards the living room.

I watched as Edward wrapped his arms around Bella's waist and kissed her cheek.

Bella giggled and held his hand leading him also into the living room.

I was lead back into the warm living room and was handed a shiny silver wrapped box with a bright blue and silver bow, before I could start my round of questions.

A card was stuck underneath saying.

_To: Renee  
>Love: The Cullens<em>

I sat down on the couch as I pulled the bow gently, it falling gracefully to the carpet. Pulling back the wrapping paper, seeing a blue velvet box.

I could only imagine what the Cullens would have gotten for me.

I opened the lid and gasped.

Nestled inside the delicate, velvet box was a beautiful diamond necklace, a diamond shaped diamond connected to a teardrop, twin leaf, white gold setting with a large opal set below the diamonds. The opal was black and full of fire, greens and blues.

I was speechless.

"It's an Art Deco, solid black opal, with diamonds, platinum and white gold necklace." Alice spoke up, smiling at my shocked face.

I had never received or gave a gift to this magnitude.

I quickly said 'thank you' and received hugs from Esme and Alice.

"Renee there's something in the bottom of the box." Esme informed me.

"Oh." I looked down and picked up an envelope.

_You and Phil go anywhere you desire.  
>Love the Cullens<em>

In the envelope was two first class round trip tickets to anywhere.

I thanked them again and again.

The next gift that was given out was a long box wrapped in a gold wrapping paper with a big red bow.

It was past to Charlie.

He thanked the Cullens as he opened the box but he really thanked them when he pulled out a very expensive looking fishing pole and plane tickets as well.

Alice smiled and past a green shiny box to Sue.

Sue opened the paper slowly and came to a black velvet box.

I was instantly curious to what piece of jewelry it held.

Sue gasped as she pulled out the necklace it was a black and white diamond wolf and it was breathtaking.

Sue thanked the Cullens profusely and had Charlie place the pendant on her delicate neck.

Jasper passed Seth a pastel blue box and Leah a pink pastel box.

Seth opened his first, he pulled out a leather band with a crest on it.

His face broke out into a huge grin and ran and gave Edward and Bella a hug.

"Thank you sooo much." Edward smiled and tied the band on his wrist and whispered something in Seth's ear, he smiled impossibly bigger and hugged Carlisle and Esme.

As soon as Seth sat down Leah opened her box.

Her permanent scowl slowly turned into a beautiful smile.

Leah pulled out a note card and smiled bigger, then pulled out a necklace with what looked like a black cable, chain and at the bottom of the cable chain thing was a blue sapphire the size of a golf ball shaped as a heart outlined with diamonds.

Leah bonded across the living room and hugged each and every Cullen, Sue, Seth and Charlie had a shocked expression, especially Seth.

Alice help Leah put on the necklace and she looked dazzling.

Leah sat next to her brother and watched as Bella passed Jacob a shiny black box.

He opened it and it was the same thing Seth got and it looked like it meant the world to him.

Jacob hugged all the Cullen's and Nessie giggled and smiled.

Edward then handed little Nessie a purple box with a big white bow.

Nessie smiled again and quickly tore open the box and she squealed and hugged Bella and Edward.

Edward pulled out the diamond headband and placed it in Nessie's hair.

The headband had three rows of perfect princess cut diamonds and was cased in white gold.

Nessie thanked them again and reached in her box and pulled out an old copy of Wuthering Heights, I quickly realized it was Bella's old book.

Nessie looked up at Bella and she had tears in her eyes and a perfect smile on her face. "Thank you Momma." She said as she threw her arms around Bella.

Which reminded me I still had to talk to Bella about this after the gift exchange was over and done with.

Carlisle sighed and smiled.

"We each brought only one present to open here, we open everything on Christmas morning. But we really wanted and cherish this time with you." Carlisle past a bright shiny yellow box to Jasper.

Jasper opened it calmly and then smiled.

He had a collection of old war books.

Jasper hugged Alice and nodded to everyone else.

Carlisle handed Alice a cherry red box, Alice opened it fast and laughed.

"Family coupons really?" Her tinkering laugh filled the room.

"There's more, love." Jasper said in his southern drawl.

Alice face looked shocked and she dug deeper in the box and found a pink velvet case. She opened and squealed and knocked Jasper over in a hug.

He placed the necklace on her neck and it was stunning, it was a four chain necklace with two medium silver hearts and four small ruby hearts two of which were on top of the silver hearts and in the center of the four was a big heart shaped ruby cut in faucets.

It hung almost like a chocker on Alice's slender neck and her black hair really made it come together.

Emmett then handed Rosalie a black sparkly box, she opened it slowly and smiled. Emmett followed what Jasper did with Alice and placed the necklace on Rosalie's neck.

It sparkled through the room.

It must have had several dozen little diamonds to make the chain and a teardrop diamond the size of a 50 cent piece laid right below the column of her neck.

Rosalie kissed Emmett and smiled at the rest of her family.

Rosalie smiled back at Emmett and passed him a small green box.

He quickly ripped into thee paper and his face broke out in a huge grin.

The entire Cullen family groaned and that's when I saw the small joke book.

I was sure he was going to cause trouble with that.

Carlisle passed Esme a large, flat black box.

She opened it and gasped, smiling up at Carlisle.

He reached down and pulled an emerald necklace with many different shapes.

Esme then passed Carlisle a medium size bag which he opened to pull out a key and a note.

I decided it was personal and didn't ask.

Edward smiled and handed my daughter a small blue box and when she opened it she gasped just as Esme had earlier.

The ring that Edward placed on her finger was unexplainable it was beautiful.

After Bella kissed Edward she past him the last of the Cullen boxes.

Edward opened it and quickly hugged Bella. I think it was a scrapbook but I didn't see it well.

When the Cullen's finished with their gifts Charlie and Sue gave Bella a new photo album, Edward a new set of music sheets, Nessie a teddy bear and a music box.

Seth pjs and a new basketball, Leah pjs and a blouse.

Sue gave Charlie a tackle box and Charlie gave Sue a knitting set.

After they opened Charlie's gifts I quickly and happily handed out three boxes.

One to my Bella and Edward, one to the rest of the Cullens and one to Charlie and Sue, Seth and Leah.

What was in Bella's box would make her blush but she needed them.

I got Charlie and Sue a coupon for a couch cleaning job and a gift card to Bed Bath & Beyond.

Honestly the couch needed cleaned.

I gave Seth and Leah gift cards also but to Wal-Mart.

I didn't know what to get the Cullens so what I put in their box was five board games and to my surprise Emmett went crazy.

He was so excited he actually begged Rosalie to play with him.

She quickly told Edward and Bella to open their box.

Their box filled was scented soap, a fuzzy blanket, two different marriage books and a box of assorted condoms.

Emmett then started laughing, well the word laughing was an understatement.

"Well Bella wouldn't you say it's a little late for those!" Emmett horse laughed out the words.

Bella looked horrified.

**A/N: Please let me know what you thought! **

**Let me know and if you have already reviewed and can't; Please send me a PM. **

**Thank you my lovely readers.**


	4. Chapter 3

_Previously:_

_Their box filled was scented soap, a fuzzy blanket, two different marriage books and a box of assorted condoms._

_Emmett then started laughing, well the word laughing was an understatement._

_"Well Bella wouldn't you say it's a little late for those!" Emmett horse laughed out the words._

_Bella looked horrified._

Chapter Five: Christmas Presents BPOV

Bella's Point Of View

We all decided to only bring one present to Charlie's house for us, but we brought everybody's minus Jacob's to Charlie's as well.

We bought Renee a beautiful diamond necklace with an opal that was full of fire, greens and blues hanging directly. I'm not sure what to make out of my mom's face. It was priceless. We also got her and Phil two plane tickets to go anywhere at any time.

For Charlie, Edward and I bought this new fishing pole that was top of the line.

It was chrome plated, with a beeping fish alert thing to tell you when you caught one and we also him and Sue plane tickets as well.

I nearly thought Charlie was going to pass out.

We got Sue a black and white diamond necklace; the diamonds were set in a frame shaped as a howling wolf.

She was amazed and over joyed.

For Seth we made him a beautiful card saying.

_Seth,  
>You are an official Cullen in our eyes.<br>Thank you for everything and we are looking  
>forward to a truly amazing eternity with you,<br>Jacob and maybe even Leah.  
>Welcome to the family.<br>Love the Cullens_

Also a leather tie strap for a bracelet with the Cullen crest branded on the dark leather, it will stretch and shrink back to its normal size with his changing.

Edward whispered into Seth's ear how the band worked and that Esme had come up with the idea.

For Leah it was difficult to decide what to get her but we finally found a diamond and sapphire necklace, attached it to an extreme stretch band so it wouldn't break when she phased into a wolf, we were all surprised when she hugged us _all_.

We as in Edward and I, passed Jacob his small box. We decided to give him what we gave Seth, he was thrilled.

Edward and I had a hard time choosing which one of Renesmee's presents to bring but we just decided to let her pick the box out.

The box Nessie picked was her diamond headband that had three rows of perfect princess cut diamonds and was cased in white gold.

I also put my beloved copy of Wuthering Heights that she loved so much under the headband.

Jasper was given a new set of War Books; ones he didn't have.

I think Alice searched three days for them.

What the family decided to give Alice a prank gift before her actual gift.

Carlisle handed Alice a pack of family coupons and then a 'surprise' ruby necklace. Emmett handed Rosalie her box with her stunning diamond necklace.

She didn't know he had a new car engine for her M3 back at the house.

Rose passed Em a small box that had a new joke book in it.

The entire Cullen family groaned.

Carlisle got a surprise trip to Isle Esme from Esme herself and Esme was given a brilliant emerald necklace.

Edward smiled as he handed me a small box.

I raised my eyebrows at him and he smirked his normal way.

I opened and gasped, it was beautiful.

I ring nestled in the velvet box was unexplainable.

Edward smiled at my reaction and slipped the ring onto my ring finger on my right hand. I passed Edward his box after giving him a quick kiss.

Edward opened his box to find a scrapbook I made for him.

He hugged me tightly, thanking me in my neck.

Next was Charlie and Sue's gifts.

Charlie and Sue gave me a new photo album, Edward a new set of music sheets, Nessie a teddy bear and a music box.

Seth pjs and a new basketball, Leah pjs and a blouse.

Sue gave Charlie a tackle box and Charlie gave Sue a knitting set.

After we opened Charlie's gifts Renee happily handed out three boxes.

One to Edward and I, one to the rest of the Cullens and one to Charlie and Sue, Seth and Leah.

What was in our box would have made me blush a thousand times over.

Charlie and Sue opened up a coupon for a couch cleaning job and a gift card to Bed Bath & Beyond.

Seth and Leah also got gift cards but to Wal-Mart.

In the Cullens box was five board games and Emmett went crazy.

He was so excited he actually begged Rose to play with him.

She quickly told us to open our box. In our box was scented soap, a fuzzy blanket, two different marriage books and a box of assorted condoms.

To say Emmett laughed was an understatement.

"Well Bella wouldn't you say it's a little late for those!" Emmett horse laughed out the word.

The glorious board games now forgotten.

"Now would be a perfect time for everyone else to leave." I lifted my shield and thought to Edward.

**A/N: Please let me know what you thought! **

**Let me know and if you have already reviewed and can't; Please send me a PM. **

**Thank you my lovely readers.**


	5. Chapter 4

_Previously in Renee's Point Of View_

_Their box filled was scented soap, a fuzzy blanket, two different marriage books and a box of assorted condoms._

_Emmett then started laughing, well the word laughing was an understatement._

_"Well Bella wouldn't you say it's a little late for those!" Emmett horse laughed out the words._

_Bella looked horrified._

**A/N: The bold/italic is directly from the book or twisted a little by yours truly.**

Chapter Six: Shape Shifters

Renee's Point Of View

After every one left except for Edward, Bella, Nessie, Jacob, Charlie and Sue it suddenly became very quiet.

Edward suddenly rose from his place next to my daughter and walked over to the door. Billy wheeled himself in followed by a very grim looking indie.

He looked at Edward, well more like glared at my son-in-law.

Edward nodded and the man walked off.

He shut the door and returned to his place next to Bella.

"Charlie since you are part of the Quileute tribe and third in command in the council, it's time for you to know the truth." Billy said in his raspy voice.

What truth?

And why am I here?

I'm in the dark again!

Billy turned and looked at me.

"And Renee since you are Bella's mother we have also decided to tell you. But Renee you most never tell anyone. Not even your husband, Phil." I nodded quickly I could keep a secret.

Plus I really needed to know what was going on here.

"Uncle Billy!"

We all looked up to see Nessie coming in from going up stairs.

Jacob laughed as Nessie ran gracefully to Billy and plopped down on his lap.  
>"Well hello beautiful." Billy said caressing her cheek.<p>

Charlie and Sue looked surprised to see Billy showing Nessie this kind of affection. Nessie hugged Billy and then jumped down and ran over to Bella, seating herself on her lap.

"As I was saying we are going to be discussing a world neither one of you truly know." Charlie shuddered and Jacob laughed.

"It is not funny Jacob Black I was not expecting you to do that!" Jacob laughed harder. "That's what makes it funny!"

Bella thumped Jacob on the back of the head and said something too low for me to hear but Jacob shied away from her and Edward laughed along with Nessie.

"Jakey's scared of momma!"

Edward nodded.

Billy cleared his throat.

"Any ways Jacob, Sue and I will say our side of the story and then Edward, Bella and Nessie will say theirs. Understood?"

Everyone nodded and Billy took a breath.

"I am not going to announce anything that will give the story away. The true legend will be reveled much later in the evening."  
>Billy took a breath and looked at his son.<p>

"The legend of the Quileute tribe goes as far back as the great flood. We were and are still a simple tribe. _**The histories that everyone always thought were just legends."**_ Jacob said as he stood up and started to pace between everyone.

The hair on the back of my neck was up on end.

_**"The stories of how we came to be. The first is the story of the spirit warriors." **_

"The Quileutes have been a small people from the beginning, we still are a small people, but we have never disappeared." Billy said interrupting his son. Jacob paused his pacing and looked at his father.

"I thought you wanted me to tell them this."

"Go ahead." Billy gestured with his hands for Jacob to continue.

Jacob cleared his throat.

_**"This is because there has always been magic in our blood. It wasn't always the magic of shape-shifting - that came later."**_

"Shape-shifting?" I gasped.

Everyone stared at me.

"Sorry continue."

_**"First, we were spirit warriors. In the beginning, the tribe settled in this harbor and became skilled ship builders and fishermen. But the tribe was small, and the harbor was rich in fish. There were others who coveted our land, and we were too small to hold it. A larger tribe moved against us, and we took to our ships to escape them."**_

Charlie was listening attentively as I was, sitting on the edge of our seats.

_**"Kaheleha was not the first spirit warrior, but we do not remember the stories that came before his. We do not remember who was the first to discover this power, or how it had been used before this crisis. Kaheleha was the first great Spirit Chief in our history. In this emergency, Kaheleha used the magic to defend our land."**_

Jacob paused and continued his pacing. His voice deepened as he continued.

_**"He and all his warriors left the ship - not their bodies, but their spirits. Their women watched over the bodies and the waves, and the men took their spirits back to our harbor. They could not physically touch the enemy tribe, but they had other ways. The stories tell us that they could blow fierce winds into their enemy's camps; they could make a great screaming in the wind that terrified their foes."**_

If my eyes got any wider I was going to be blind.

Oh man, I think I need some water or something.

Out of the corner of my eye I saw Edward rise to his feet and walked into the kitchen.

Where is he going?

_**"The stories also tell us that the animals could see the spirit warriors and understand them; the animals would do their bidding." **_

Jacob continued even though Edward wasn't in here.

_**"Kaheleha took his spirit army and wreaked havoc on the intruders. This invading tribe had packs of big, thick-furred dogs that they used to pull their sleds in the frozen north. The spirit warriors turned the dogs against their masters and then brought a mighty infestation of bats up from the cliff caverns. They used the screaming wind to aid the dogs in confusing the men. The dogs and bats won. The survivors scattered, calling our harbor a cursed place. The dogs ran wild when the spirit warriors released them. The Quileutes returned to their bodies and their wives, victorious. The other nearby tribes, the Hohs and the Makahs, made treaties with the Quileutes. They wanted nothing to do with our magic. We lived in peace with them. When an enemy came against us, the spirit warriors would drive them off."**_

Edward then came back in and handed Charlie, Sue, Billy and I a glass of water.

We silently thanked him and he returned next to Bella.

How did he know my throat was so dry I felt like I was sucking on cotton?

_**"Generations passed. Then came the last great Spirit Chief, Taha Aki. He was known for his wisdom, and for being a man of peace. The people lived well and content in his care. But there was one man, Utlapa, who was not content." **_

Jacob practically hissed the name.

Sue and Billy shaking their heads also.

_**"Utlapa was one of Chief Taha Aki's strongest spirit warriors - a powerful man, but a grasping man, too. He thought the people should use their magic to expand their lands, to enslave the Hohs and the Makahs and build an empire. Now, when the warriors were their spirit selves, they knew each other's thoughts. Taha Aki saw what Utlapa dreamed, and was angry with Utlapa. Utlapa was commanded to leave the people, and never use his spirit self again. Utlapa was a strong man, but the chief's warriors outnumbered him. He had no choice but to leave. The furious outcast hid in the forest nearby, waiting for a chance to get revenge against the chief."**_

I tried to hold in my gasp as I continued to listen.

_**"Even in times of peace, the Spirit Chief was vigilant in protecting his people. Often, he would go to a sacred, secret place in the mountains. He would leave his body behind and sweep down through the forests and along the coast, making sure no threat approached. One day when Taha Aki left to perform this duty, Utlapa followed. At first, Utlapa simply planned to kill the chief, but this plan had its drawbacks. Surely the spirit warriors would seek to destroy him, and they could follow faster than he could escape. As he hid in the rocks and watched the chief prepare to leave his body, another plan occurred to him. Taha Aki left his body in the secret place and flew with the winds to keep watch over his people. Utlapa waited until he was sure the chief had traveled some distance with his spirit self. Taha Aki knew it the instant that Utlapa had joined him in the spirit world, and he also knew Utlapa's murderous plan. He raced back to his secret place, but even the winds weren't fast enough to save him. When he returned, his body was already gone. Utlapa's body lay abandoned, but Utlapa had not left Taha Aki with an escape - he had cut his own body's throat with Taha Aki's hands."**_

Jacob was staring out the window when he spoke again.

_**"Taha Aki followed his body down the mountain. He screamed at Utlapa, but Utlapa ignored him as if he were mere wind. Taha Aki watched with despair as Utlapa took his place as chief of the Quileutes. For a few weeks, Utlapa did nothing but make sure that everyone believed he was Taha Aki. Then the changes began - Utlapa's first edict was to forbid any warrior to enter the spirit world. He claimed that he'd had a vision of danger, but really he was afraid. He knew that Taha Aki would be waiting for the chance to tell his story. Utlapa**_ _**was also afraid to enter the spirit world himself, knowing Taha Aki would quickly claim his body. So his dreams of conquest with a spirit warrior army were impossible, and he sought to content himself with ruling over the tribe. He became a burden - seeking privileges that Taha Aki had never requested, refusing to work alongside his warriors, taking a young second wife and then a third, though Taha Aki's wife lived on - something unheard of in the tribe. Taha Aki watched in helpless fury. Eventually, Taha Aki tried to kill his body to save the tribe from Utlapa's excesses. He brought a fierce wolf down from the mountains, but Utlapa hid behind his warriors. When the wolf killed a young man who was protecting the false chief, Taha Aki felt horrible grief. He ordered the wolf away."**_

Jacob took a deep breath and paced next to the window now.

_**"All the stories tell us that it was no easy thing to be a spirit warrior. It was more frightening than exhilarating to be freed from one's body. This is why they only used their magic in times of need. The chief's solitary journeys to keep watch were a burden and a sacrifice. Being bodiless was disorienting, uncomfortable, horrifying. Taha Aki had been away from his body for so long at this point that he was in agony. He felt he was doomed - never to cross over to the final land where his ancestors waited, stuck in this torturous nothingness forever. The great wolf followed Taha Aki's spirit as he twisted and writhed in agony through the woods. The wolf was very large for its kind, and beautiful. Taha Aki was suddenly jealous of the dumb animal. At least it had a body. At least it had a life. Even life as an animal would be better than this horrible empty consciousness."**_

I watched as Charlie's eyes widened.

_**"And then Taha Aki had the idea that changed us all. He asked the great wolf to make room for him, to share. The wolf complied. Taka Aki entered the wolf's body with relief and gratitude. It was not his human body, but it was better than the void of the spirit world. As one, the man and the wolf returned to the village on the harbor. The people ran in fear, shouting for the warriors to come. The warriors ran to meet the wolf with their spears. Utlapa, of course, stayed safely hidden. Taha Aki did not attack his warriors. He retreated slowly from them, speaking with his eyes and trying to yelp the songs of his people. The warriors began to realize that the wolf was no ordinary animal, that there was a spirit influencing it. One older warrior, a man name Yut, decided to disobey the false chief's order and try to communicate with the wolf. As soon as Yut crossed to the spirit world, Taha Aki left the wolf - the animal waited tamely for his return - to speak to him. Yut gathered the truth in an instant, and welcomed his true chief home. At this time, Utlapa came to see if the wolf had been defeated. When he saw Yut lying lifeless on the ground, surrounded by protective warriors, he realized what was happening. He drew his knife and raced forward to kill Yut before he could return to his body."**_

Jacob slowed his pacing. Looking down.

_**"Traitor,' he screamed, and the warriors did not know what to do. The chief had forbidden spirit journeys, and it was the chief's decision how to punish those who disobeyed. Yut jumped back into his body, but Utlapa had his knife at his throat and a hand covering his mouth. Taha Aki's body was strong, and Yut was weak with age. Yut could not say even one word to warn the others before Utlapa silenced him forever. Taha Aki watched as Yut's spirit slipped away to the final lands that were barred to Taha Aki for all eternity. He felt a great rage, more powerful than anything he'd felt before. He entered the big wolf again, meaning to rip Utlapa's throat out. But, as he joined the wolf, the greatest magic happened."**_

Jacob smiled softly, his eyes shinned as he continued.

_**"Taha Aki's anger was the anger of a man. The love he had for his people and the hatred he had for their oppressor were too vast for the wolf's body, too human. The wolf shuddered, and - before the eyes of the shocked warriors and Utlapa - transformed into a man. The new man did not look like Taha Aki's body. He was far more glorious. He was the flesh interpretation of Taha Aki's spirit. The warriors recognized him at once, though, for they had flown with Taha Aki's spirit. Utlapa tried to run, but Taha Aki had the strength of the wolf in his new body. He caught the thief and crushed the spirit from him before he could jump out of the stolen body. The people rejoiced when they understood what had happened. Taha Aki quickly set everything right, working again with his people and giving the young wives back to their families. The only change he kept in place was the end of the spirit travels. He knew that it was too dangerous now that the idea of stealing a life was there. The spirit warriors were no more."**_

Jacob looked over at Charlie and then me.

_**"From that point on, Taha Aki was more than either wolf or man. They called him Taha Aki the Great Wolf, or Taha Aki the Spirit Man. He led the tribe for many, many years, for he did not age. When danger threatened, he would resume his wolf-self to fight or frighten the enemy. The people dwelt in peace. Taha Aki fathered many sons, and some of these found that, after they had reached the age of manhood, they, too, could transform into wolves. The wolves were all different, because they were spirit wolves and reflected the man they were inside. Some of the sons became warriors with Taha Aki, and they no longer aged. Others, who did not like the transformation, refused to join the pack of wolf-men. These began to age again, and the tribe discovered that the wolf-men could grow old like anyone else if they gave up their spirit wolves. Taha Aki had lived the span of three old men's lives. He had married a third wife after the deaths of the first two, and found in her his true spirit wife. Though he had loved the others, this was something else. He decided to give up his spirit wolf so that he would die when she did."**_

Jacob eyes flashed to Nessie.

A low growl was heard and Jacob looked away.

I wondered briefly where the growl came from and what that whole ordeal was about.

_**"That is how the magic came to us, but it is not the end of the story. . . ."**_

Jacob motioned for his father to take over but Jacob never stopped his wall to wall pacing. It was making me even more nervous.

I wish he'd stop.

_**"That was the story of the spirit warriors. This is the story of the third wife's sacrifice. Many years after Taha Aki gave up his spirit wolf, when he was an old man, trouble began in the north, with the Makahs. Several young women of their tribe had disappeared, and they blamed it on the neighboring wolves, who they feared and mistrusted. The wolf-men could still read each other's thoughts while in their wolf forms, just like their ancestors had while in their spirit forms. They knew that none of their number was to blame. Taha Aki tried to pacify the Makah chief, but there was too much fear. Taha Aki did not want to have a war on his hands. He was no longer a warrior to lead his people. He charged his oldest wolf-son, Taha Wi, with finding the true culprit before hostilities began. Taha Wi led the five other wolves in his pack on a search through the mountains, looking for any evidence of the missing Makahs. They came across something they had never encountered before - a strange, sweet scent in the forest that burned their noses to the point of pain." **_

Jacob shuddered as his father said that.

_**"They did not know what creature would leave such a scent, but they followed it. They found faint traces of human scent, and human blood, along the trail. They were sure this was the enemy they were searching for. The journey took them so far north that Taha Wi sent half the pack, the younger ones, back to the harbor to report to Taha Aki. Taha Wi and his two brothers did not return. The younger brothers searched for their elders, but found only silence. Taha Aki mourned for his sons. He wished to avenge his sons' death, but he was old. He went to the Makah chief in his mourning clothes and told him everything that had happened. The Makah chief believed his grief, and tensions ended between the tribes."**_

Billy paused and took a long drink from his glass.

I focused on watching his Adams apple bob up and down.

_**"A year later, two Makah maidens disappeared from their homes on the same night. The Makahs called on the Quileute wolves at once, who found the same sweet stink all through the Makah village. The wolves went on the hunt again. Only one came back. He was Yaha Uta, the oldest son of Taka Aki's third wife, and the youngest in the pack. He brought something with him that had never been seen in all the days of the Quileutes - a strange, cold, stony corpse that he carried in pieces." **_

Nessie whimpered and leaned closer into Bella's chest.

Edward whispered something softly to her and Bella rubbed her hair, humming very very low.

_**"All who were of Taha Aki's blood, even those who had never been wolves, could smell the piercing smell of the dead creature. This was the enemy of the Makahs. Yaha Uta described what had happened: he and his brothers had found the creature, who looked like a man but was hard as a granite rock, with the two Makah daughters. One girl was already dead, white and bloodless on the ground. The other was in the creature's arms, his mouth at her throat. She may have been alive when they came upon the hideous scene, but the creature quickly snapped her neck and tossed her lifeless body to the ground when they approached. His white lips were covered in her blood, and his eyes glowed red." **_

Charlie looked up at Edward and then Jacob.

"Calm down Charlie you're going to give yourself a heart attack. Everything is fine." Jacob said softly, sounding so much older than he was.

_**"Yaha Uta described the fierce strength and speed of the creature. One of his brothers quickly became a victim when he underestimated that strength. The creature ripped him apart like a doll."**_

Nessie whimpered again and Bella walked over to Jacob and then he and Nessie went outside. "Is she okay Bells?" Charlie asked concerned.

Bella sighed.

"Yeah she will be okay, Jake took her for a run until Billy is finished. I will explain more later." Charlie nodded and Bella returned next to her husband and nodded to Billy.

_**"Yaha Uta and his other brother were more wary. They worked together, coming at the creature from the sides, outmaneuvering it. They had to reach the very limits of their wolf strength and speed, something that had never been tested before. The creature was hard as stone and cold as ice. They found that only their teeth could damage it. They began to rip small pieces of the creature apart while it fought them. But the creature learned quickly, and soon was matching their maneuvers. It got its hands on Yaha Uta's brother. Yaha Uta found an opening on the creature's throat, and he lunged. His teeth tore the head off the creature, but the hands continued to mangle his brother. Yaha Uta ripped the creature into unrecognizable chunks, tearing pieces apart in a desperate attempt to save his brother. He was too late, but, in the end, the creature was destroyed. Or so they thought. Yaha Uta laid the reeking remains out to be examined by the elders. One severed hand lay beside a piece of the creature's granite arm. The two pieces touched when the elders poked them with sticks, and the hand reached out towards the arm piece, trying to reassemble itself. Horrified, the elders set fire to the remains."**_

This time Edward and Bella shuddered.

What is going on here?

_**"A great cloud of choking, vile smoke polluted the air. When there was nothing but ashes, they separated the ashes into many small bags and spread them far and wide - some in the ocean, some in the forest, some in the cliff caverns. Taha Aki wore one bag around his neck, so he would be warned if the creature ever tried to put himself together again." **_

Billy paused and pulled out a leather thong from around his neck.

Hanging from the end was a small bag, blackened with age.

Charlie and I gasped.

Bella looked unsettled.

Edward rubbed Bella's shoulders looking in disgust at the small bag.

_**"They called it The Cold One, the Blood Drinker, and lived in fear that it was not alone. They only had one wolf protector left, young Yaha Uta. They did not have long to wait. The creature had a mate, another blood drinker, who came to the Quileutes seeking revenge."**_

Bella and Edward grimaced.

Edward pulled Bella to sit on his lap.

_**"The stories say that the Cold Woman was the most beautiful thing human eyes had ever seen. She looked like the goddess of the dawn when she entered the village that morning; the sun was shining for once, and it glittered off her white skin and lit the golden hair that flowed down to her knees. Her face was magical in its beauty, her eyes black in her white face. Some fell to their knees to worship her."**_

Charlie's huge eyes were now staring at Bella and Edward and then to Billy and Sue.

_**"She asked something in a high, piercing voice, in a language no one had ever heard. The people were dumbfounded, not knowing how to answer her. There was none of Taha Aki's blood among the witnesses but one small boy. He clung to his mother and screamed that the smell was hurting his nose. One of the elders, on his way to council, heard the boy and realized what had come among them. He yelled for the people to run. She killed him first. There were twenty witnesses to the Cold Woman's approach. Two survived, only because she grew distracted by the blood, and paused to sate her thirst. They ran to Taha Aki, who sat in counsel with the other elders, his sons, and his third wife. Yaha Uta transformed into his spirit wolf as soon as he heard the news. He went to destroy the blood drinker alone. Taha Aki, his third wife, his sons, and his elders followed behind him. At first they could not find the creature, only the evidence of her attack. Bodies lay broken, a few drained of blood, strewn across the road where she'd appeared. Then they heard the screams and hurried to the harbor. A handful of the Quileutes had run to the ships for refuge. She swam after them like a shark, and broke the bow of their boat with her incredible strength. When the ship sank, she caught those trying to swim away and broke them, too." **_

Charlie and my eyes were basically the same size.

Sue yawned.

Most likely heard this tale many times in the past.

_**"She saw the great wolf on the shore, and she forgot the fleeing swimmers. She swam so fast she was a blur and came, dripping and glorious, to stand before Yaha Uta. She pointed at him with one white finger and asked another incomprehensible question. Yaha Uta waited. It was a close fight. She was not the warrior her mate had been. But Yaha Uta was alone - there was no one to distract her fury from him. When Yaha Uta lost, Taha Aki screamed in defiance. He limped forward and shifted into an ancient, white-muzzled wolf. The wolf was old, but this was Taha Aki the Spirit Man, and his rage made him strong. The fight began again. Taha Aki's third wife had just seen her son die before her. Now her husband fought, and she had no hope that he could win. She'd heard every word the witnesses to the slaughter had told the council. She'd heard the story of Yaha Uta's first victory, and knew that his brother's diversion had saved him."**_

Edward shivered and buried his face in Bella's neck.

_**"The third wife grabbed a knife from the belt of one of the sons who stood beside her.**_ _**They were all young sons, not yet men, and she knew they would die when their father failed. The third wife ran toward the Cold Woman with the dagger raised high. The Cold Woman smiled, barely distracted from her fight with the old wolf. She had no fear of the weak human woman or the knife that would not even scratch her skin, and she was about to deliver the death blow to Taha Aki. And then the third wife did something the Cold Woman did not expect. She fell to her knees at the blood drinker's feet and plunged the knife into her own heart."**_

Bella rubbed the back of Edward's neck, talking to him softly.

_**"Blood spurted through the third wife's fingers and splashed against the Cold Woman. The blood drinker could not resist the lure of the fresh blood leaving the third wife's body. Instinctively, she turned to the dying woman, for one second entirely consumed by thirst. Taha Aki's teeth closed around her neck. That was not the end of the fight, but Taha Aki was not alone now. Watching their mother die, two young sons felt such rage that they sprang forth as their spirit wolves, though they were not yet men. With their father, they finished the creature. Taha Aki never rejoined the tribe. He never changed back to a man again. He lay for one day beside the body of the third wife, growling whenever anyone tried to touch her, and then he went into the forest and never returned."**_

Billy paused and took another drink of water.

_**"Trouble with the cold ones was rare from that time on. Taha Aki's sons guarded the tribe until their sons were old enough to take their places. There were never more than three wolves at a time. It was enough. Occasionally a blood drinker would come through these lands, but they were taken by surprise, not expecting the wolves. Sometimes a wolf would die, but never were they decimated again like that first time. They'd learned how to fight the cold ones, and they passed the knowledge on, wolf mind to wolf mind, spirit to spirit, father to son. Time passed, and the descendants of Taha Aki no longer became wolves when they reached manhood. Only in a great while, if a cold one was near, would the wolves return. The cold ones always came in ones and twos, and the pack stayed small." **_

Jacob walked back in, lead by a rather happy Nessie and shook his hair out.

Rain water flying everywhere.

"Jacob would you like to continue."

Billy resaid the few sentences and Jacob nodded.


	6. Chapter 5

_Previously _

_Jacob walked back in, lead by a rather happy Nessie and shook his hair out._

_Rain water flying everywhere._

_"Jacob would you like to continue."_

_Billy resaid the few sentences and Jacob nodded_

**The bold/italic is directly from the book or twisted a little by yours truly.**

Chapter Ten: One Ends Another Begins

_**"A bigger coven came, and your our great-grandfathers prepared to fight them off. But the leader spoke to Ephraim Black as if he were a man, and promised not to harm the Quileutes."**_

Jacob paced and looked towards my daughter and her husband.

He then looked at me and Charlie, smiling softly.

_**"His strange yellow eyes gave some proof to his claim that they were not the same as other blood drinkers."**_

Charlie and I were stunned silent.

_**"The wolves were outnumbered; there was no need for the cold ones to offer a treaty when they could have won the fight. Ephraim accepted. They've stayed true to their side, though their presence does tend to draw in others. And their numbers have forced a larger pack than the tribe has ever seen. Except, of course, in Taha Aki's time. And so the sons and one daughter of our tribe again carry the burden and sometimes joy and share the sacrifice their fathers endured before them."**_

Jacob smiled and looked over at Nessie, Bella and Edward.

"Well Jacob, while they talk about the legend, will you drive me home?"

Edward tossed Jacob a set of keys and Jacob nodded as he and his father left the house.

After we heard the soft purr of the engine Bella sighed and looked over at Edward.

He shook his head calmly and kissed her forehead.

"Okay Mom, Dad." Bella said sitting up straighter, if that was even possible.

"Mom please go sit with dad and Sue." I did as I was told and from left to right was Sue, Charlie and then myself.

Nessie came running back into the room.

Wait. Where did she even go?

"I don't know where to begin. Um Edward?" Bella said looking at her husband.

"The exact timing of where this story begins is unknown. Many think it began the same time or shortly after humans began. There are the ones that chose to be evil and those who choice to be good, somewhat holy. Some live their lives as they would if they were still human."

Edward looked at me and Charlie.

"What are we talking about exactly?" I asked calmly.

Edward smiled and I felt my heart flutter.

Bella kind of looked at me and then to Edward.

"Well like what Billy said, he would tell you his side of what needs to be told and Bella and I would tell our side. Billy explained the legend and history of his people. Jacob will be back to explain the dynamics of everything." Edward spoke being very calm about everything.

Nessie jumped from Bella's lap and went over to sit with us, placing herself on Charlie's lap.

Her little body touched mine as she did so.

She was warm, so this couldn't be about the cold ones Billy spoke of. Could it?

Edward took and deep breath and began again.

"We will be talking about five different subjects. How it works/ ways of life, mates, hybrids, stories and The Volturi."

At the word Volturi Nessie visibly shuddered.

"First off I will start with ways of life. There are mainly two ways to live, either on humans or animals."

My eyes widened as Edward said this.

"The ones who hunt humans can be vile, wild and uncontrollable. Able to massacre an entire city in only a matter of hours."

I was stunned, I couldn't move.

"They mostly travel alone as nomads or in two, three's or at the most four. A mated pair and or two mated pair. Some covens or families have five. The ones that live off animals have much more fulfilling lives. They often live in large families. Well, there are only two known covens that live that way together. The three largest coven slash families that are known consists of two vegetarian or animals hunters and one group of human hunters. One had nine and now is down to five. Another has nine or more if you count other species, I guess would be the right word for now. But again if you count the number of 'people' it would come to eleven. Last would be the Volturi, the ancients and their mates would have made six but there are now only five. The makeup of the guard is from ten or more members."

My eyes felt like a turkey dinner plate, I looked over at Charlie and his were the same too.

"How? What are they?" Charlie stuttered, his voice almost unhearable.

Edward sighed.

"Again like Billy and Jacob said they are the 'cold ones', 'bloodsuckers' or what you would know them is, is vampires."

Charlie gasped and so did I.

"But how?" I asked under my breath.

Bella spoke up this time, lifting her head and looking at us.

"Werewolves have only one enemy and that is vampires."

"Werewolves?" I shouted, interrupting Bella.

She sigh and stood up.

Motioning us the follow her.

Sue excused herself to start the dishes, she seemed really unfazed by all this.

Edward handed Charlie and I our jackets and we walked out the back door, the back gate and into the woods.

Little Nessie followed behind stomping her feet in the snow.

Bella motioned for us to stop with her hands.

Nessie plopped down in the snow playing with it calmly.

I gasped as I heard a soft thud and Charlie and I looked to our right.

"Don't scream mom." Bella said softly, as she said that, a giant sandy colored wolf appeared through the trees.

His muscles showing through his thick fur. His paws were as big as large pizzas.

He walked up slowly.

I was trying not to hyperventilate.

Charlie looked shocked but not as much as I was.

The giant horse sized wolf laid down about ten feet away from us.

When Nessie saw the wolf she ran over to it without a second thought.

I was going to reach out to stop her but she was already there.

Bella smiled at me and walked over to the wolf, rubbing his head as she walked by.

"Mom, dad come over please. I promise he will not hurt you. I asked him to come because he is one of the smaller ones."

The wolf snorted and I swear it rolled its eyes.

Edward laughed and bumped his fist against the wolf's big nose.

Charlie walked closer and looked in the wolf's mighty eyes.

The wolf stood up and licked Charlie from his stomach to the top of his head.

Nessie started laughing so hard she fell over and Edward and Bella started laughing.

The wolf laid back down and it almost sounded like he chuckled.

"Bella how do you know this giant wolf?" I asked still standing in place. I was sinking in the deep snow.

Bella who was casually leaning against the wolf shrugged and smiled.

"Mom its only someone you were sitting with in the same room not only an hour ago."

I gasped and so did Charlie.

The wolf laughed and let out a small howl of laughter.

"Who?" I stuttered, shaking as I watched the wolf, but before anyone could answer, a light grey slender wolf trotted over to the sand colored one and sat.

It glared at us before laying down and licked it's giant paw.

Nessie waved to the wolf and it wagged its tail softly.

I looked up as I saw two more wolves joining us.

One was a chocolate-brown and the other was another gray but this one had dark spots.

They both walked over to Bella and sat.

"Okay Dad, Mom I want you to guess who these wolves are okay?" Bella laughed as the chocolate wolf started playing with little Nessie.

While Edward was watching every move.

Charlie took a deep breath.

"Well none of them is Jacob." Charlie said after a few minutes.

I gasped and watched Bella nod.

"Right Jacob took the Volvo back to the house, he should be back in a few."

Charlie nodded.

That's when Sue walked outside with some clothes and a tray full of blueberry muffins.

The sand colored wolf whinned and rolled over on his back, wagging his long tail.

Sue rolled her eyes and laughed.

"Go on." She said as she walked back into the house.

The sand colored wolf practically ran over to the muffins and picked one up, eating it as all the other wolves got their's.

"You still want me to guess?" Charlie questioned Bella.

She laughed.

"Yes where is the fun in me just telling you?"

Charlie humphed and Edward laughed.

"Fine." He grumbled.

"Is one Seth?" Charlie asked after a second.

He seemed almost afraid to ask.

Bella nodded.

"Fine I will tell you names but you have to guess which wolf is which. Okay?"

Charlie and I nodded.

"There is Seth, Leah, Quil and Embry." Charlie gasped again as he looked over the wolves.

"These wolves are one pack, excluding the Alpha. Where he is? The other pack as sixteen. I will explain why there is two packs in a minute."

I was shocked.

"But I thought Billy said only three or four changed at a time." I asked quietly.

Bella shook her head.

"Not when there was two separate vampire attacks." Sam said as he walked up to Bella.

"Where do you want me chief?" He asked with a smile.

"You can change over there. Jacob will be here soon. Edward thought it was a good idea to show the sizes of the alphas and between to two alphas themselves." Sam nodded and stood in the clearing.

He shifted into a big black wolf, shredding the clothes with it.

"You were the bear?" Charlie shouted out of nowhere.

"No Charlie the wolves were mistaken for bears as they hunted the rouge vampires that were in the area." Edward said looking at Sam.

To say that Sam's size was bigger than the others was an understatement.

A howl crackled through the snowy night and Nessie jumped up from self and ran into the woods.

Edward and Bella stood back over by Charlie and I.

"Where did Nessie go?" Charlie asked worried.

"To Jacob." As Bella said that an enormous rustic colored wolf walked through the trees, little Nessie sitting on his shoulders.

Nessie jumped down and we watched Jake stand by Sam.

Jacob was at least two heads taller than Sam.

Sam growled lightly.

Jacob showed every one of his teeth and Sam kneeled down and walked away, he nodded once at Edward and cantered off in the woods.

Jacob walked by and sat in front of Charlie and I.

Sighing, he then laid down, stretching out like a lion.

Nessie went over and laid by Jake's massive head and cuddled up in his neck.

Jacob groan and closed his eyes.

"Dad it's time for you to guess so they can go home."

Charlie looked up at Bella and then looked at the wolves.

"The light gray is Leah."

The gray nodded and trotted off back in the woods and not thirty seconds later ran back out dressed and shorts and a tanktop as Leah.

Leah smiled grabbed another muffin and went into the house.

The three wolves looked at Charlie waiting for him to guess.

"Seth has to be the sandy colored one."

The sandy colored one jumped to his feet and like Leah came back as Seth.

"Good job Charlie only one more to guess and then the other is of course whose left."

Seth disappeared in the house.

"I would guess Quil is the brown one."

The brown wolf grinned and shook of the snow and ran towards the reservation, stopping by a tree, waiting for the other wolf.

"And the last has to be Embry."

As soon as Charlie said that the wolf nodded and ran off with Quil.

Jacob nudged Nessie and she ran over to Edward. Jake stood up and howled.

Seth and Leah came back out changed in mid stride and followed where the other two had went.

He then walked over behind a tree and disappeared.

He walk out in only a pair of shorts.

"Okay let's get the story on the road before Ness falls asleep." Jake said laughing as if on cue Nessie yawned.

**A/N: Please let me know what you thought! **

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	7. Chapter 6

_Previously_

_He then walked over behind a tree and disappeared._

_He walk out in only a pair of shorts._

_"Okay let's get the story on the road before Ness falls asleep." Jake said laughing as if on cue Nessie yawned._

Chapter Thirteen: Friends, Werewolves & Vampires Oh My

We all went back into the house, I was scared to be around Jacob.

He turned into a giant wolf for crying out loud.

"I will explain imprinting quickly. Imprinting is when a werewolf see's his true love." My concentration perked up as I heard the words 'true love' now things were getting good.

"We fall in love fast and hard and forever. Pretty much like how vampires are with their mates."

I gasped again. I want true love. Well I guess Phil is close enough.

"It's like all the strings that attach you to the world are snapped and there is a cable made of the hardest stuff in the world attached to her. She turns into your entire world."

Jacob smiled but looked at the window.

"You seem like you are talking from experiences Jacob." Charlie stated as Jacob looked up at him.

"Well there is something else you need to understand first. When everyone is in their wolf form we hear all of their thoughts, feelings, emotions. Sam imprinted with Emily." "Wait!" Charlie interrupted Jacob.

"What really happened to Emily?" Jacob sighed.

"Sam got angry and when we get angry it effects the wolf gene and he phased right next to her and accidently hurt her. He felt awful, he still does."

Charlie's face was unreadable.

"Anyways we are not talking about Sam and Emily's problems today."

Jacob laughed.

"Jared imprinted with Kim. Quil with Claire. And I have imprinted also but I will wait to tell you about that."

Jacob said, smiling towards me and Charlie.

"Claire? Wait isn't she like three?"

Charlie gasped.

My stomach flipped at the idea.

"Yes but right now he is like her big brother, protector. Whatever she needs. When she comes of age of course she will have the choice to choose someone else but she wouldn't. Quil will be everything to her as well. Werewolves don't age either."

I gasped as did Charlie.

"Well we will age if we find the will to stop phasing. Like in the story my dad and I told you. Keep phasing and live forever."

Charlie sighed and nodded, then his eyes went wide.

"You didn't imprint on Bella did you?" Charlie asked, yelling at Jacob.

Edward frowned and pulled Bella closer to him.

Bella glared at Jacob.

"No Charlie. If I did I would not be sitting here in one piece." Jacob chuckled again. Charlie's face went back to a normal color.

I wondered what he meant by that.

Oh well anywho.

"But I love Bella, so much and I now know why I felt so deeply towards her. I still do love Bella but in the right way now."

Jacob began to say this but Bella looked at him and he was silenced.

"As soon as I'm out of the room you may finish but not until I am out of hearing range." Bella picked up Nessie and walked out the back door.

Edward laughed at the look on Jacob's face.

I couldn't help but to giggle also.

"As I was saying, why I felt so strongly for Bella, was because Bella had something I needed to survive."

Edward scoffed at Jacob's wording.

"Well you want to explain it Cullen?"

Edward shrugged and shook his head.

"Nope but Bella's gonna kill you."

My eyes widened and Edward and Jacob started laughing.

"Okay, okay." Jacob took a deep breath.

"What did you mean something you needed?" Charlie asked, cautious again.

Jacob smiled.

"R…Nessie is my imprint."

"What?" Charlie and I gasped.

"Hey, hey hey, hey remember what I said about Quil and Claire?" Jacob asked as he had his hands in front of him.

Charlie grumbled something and leaned back into the couch.

"Fine I don't want to hear anymore."

Jacob laughed and looked towards Edward. "And why didn't you help me. Your father-in-law was going to bite my head off?"

Edward shrugged again.

"Well I couldn't stop you imprinting on my daughter. So why would I stop my father-in-law bite your head off?" Edward laughed along with him.

"You're okay with this Edward?" Charlie asked accusingly at Edward.

Edward took another deep breath.

"No but I have to be. At least I know when she is of age she will be well taken care of and also I know Jacob very well now."

Edward smiled.

"And he also knows I can take him down."

Edward and Jacob started laughing again.

"Only a couple more facts about werewolves you should know. One is a vampire bites a werewolf its fatal."

Charlie gasped and looked at Jacob, waiting for more.

"Two is that werewolves are one of only two things that can kill a vampire."

Jacob finished and that's when Bella and Nessie walked back in.

Nessie ran over and sat on Edward's lap and Bella sat down next to him.

"So where were you at in your tale, Mr. and Mrs. Lovey Dovey?" Jacob asked wagging his eyebrows at Bella and Edward.

"Jake I get it enough from Emmett I don't need it from you!" Bella snapped and Edward laughed.

"We were just starting to talk about vampires." Nessie said looking up at Edward.

"Uh Daddy?" He nodded and kissed her on the forehead.

Edward went ahead and began talking again.

"As I said before I will tell you about five different subjects. How it works/ ways of life, mates, hybrids, stories and The Volturi. I will explain more about what we already covered but with more detail."

Edward sighed and began.

"Ways of life, like I said before there are mainly two ways to live, either on humans or animals. The ones who hunt humans can be vile, wild and uncontrollable. Able to massacre an entire city in only a matter of hours."

Even though he had said this before I still shuddered the same.

"They mostly travel alone as nomads or in two, three's or at the most four. A mated pair and or two mated pair. Some covens or families have five. The ones that live off animals have much more fulfilling lives. They often live in large families. There are only two known covens that live that way together. The three largest coven slash families that are known consists of two vegetarian or animals hunters and one group of human hunters. One had nine and now is down to five. Another has nine or more if you count other species. But if you do count the number of 'people' it would come to eleven. Last would be the Volturi, the ancients and their mates would have made six but there are now only five. The makeup of the guard is from ten or more members."

Again as the word Volturi made its way into the room, Nessie shook.

Bella took a deep breath, looking at her husband as he began speaking once again.

Chapter Fourteen: Transformation, Singers & Mates

"Transformation." Edward said calmly, but it caused an icy, cold chill to run down my spine.

"One bite, but not to drain. It only takes one bite for a human to become a vampire."

My eyes widened at the word vampire, even though I have heard it several times this evening. I guess the shock won't go away anytime soon.

"Once the venom, coating the vampires teeth enters the human bloodstream it moves through the body, changing each and every cell as is passes. The spread of the venom is swift, but the reconstruction of the cells takes time. This process is excruciatingly painful, comparable to the feeling of being burned alive."

Bella shuddered and so did Jacob.

"The process lasts for roughly two or three days, depending on how much venom is present in the circulatory system and how close to the heart it had entered. There is no way to circumvent the burning with painkillers; the most narcotics can do is immobilize the body." Edward looked over at Bella and she smiled shyly; like she did something she wasn't supposed to.

I quickly disregarded it.

"Newborn vampires are less than a year old and most are plagued by an unrelenting thirst and vibrant red eyes from their own human blood."

Edward continued.

"The transformation is difficult from the vampire perspective as well." Edward grimaced, I guess at the idea of it.

"Even mature vampires have trouble resisting flowing human blood. The scent affects them as it does sharks; they can go into a feeding frenzy. For this reason vampires don't tend to hunt in packs."

Jacob laughed at the word 'pack'.

"Really Jacob, grow up." Bella scolded but laughed along with him.

Edward smirked and cleared his throat.

"During the irrational frenzy, members of a coven are likely to turn on one another in competition for the blood. The taste of human blood makes it even harder for the vampire to resist. It is nearly impossible for a vampire to not drain the human-thus killing him or her - once the vampire has tasted blood. Only a vampire with a great deal of self-control, are able to remain focused enough to bite a human and then let him or her live long enough for the venom to effect the change."

Charlie was barely sitting now. I wondered how long he could balance like that.

"Normally vampires change people because they are lonely or because they fell in love or intrigued with the human."

Edward finished his sentence and looked towards Bella for her to continue, I guess.

"Singers." Bella's voice rang in my ears.

"Or La Tua Cantante." She sang the words and Edward shuddered, smiling brightly at Bella.

Jacob gagged at them, acting like a five year old.

Bella's stare silenced him at once.

"The smell of each human is different, and certain humans can smell more appetizing than others."

Charlie made a gagging noise beside me.

I wasn't feeling so good myself.

"But infrequently a specific human will smell nearly irresistible to a specific vampire. That human is known as a singer among vampires, because his or her blood sings for the vampire in question. Singers are individual phenomena; a person whose blood sings to one vampire, will not have the same effect on all vampires. While there are some humans, whose scents are more appealing to vampires in general, but that appeal does not reach the level of a singer. Singers are considered by most vampires to be a great find the drinking of whose blood is an experience to be savored."

I flinched at the idea.

"I only know of one vampire who has resisted the blood of his singer. But I will tell you about him later." Bella then looked at Edward to continue.

"One feature of the unchanging nature of vampires is they mate for life."

Charlie sat up a little bit straighter as Edward explained this.

"Once they fall in love, that feeling never changes, never fades. If mates are separated it brings intense, unbearable pain to both the male and female. They can't move, can't breathe right, can't hunt, they can't even speak without it hurting."

Charlie and my eyes widened and Bella and Edward flinched.

Edward took another breath.

"Vampire vengeance is the worse, if the vampire loses their mate. They will get revenge for someone taking their mate. Some will even try to take their own lives. Centuries can pass and it will not change. Never harm a vampire's mate. It will become a mate for a mate." Edward sighed and Bella rubbed his chest with her hand.

"Mate for a mate, is what is known in the vampire world to be the worst case of revenge and lost." Bella spoke quietly.

I couldn't move.

I couldn't comprehend the love that the vampires must feel.

I glanced a look at Charlie and he was in the same boat as I was.

Bella took a deep breath and smiled. I could tell she was ready to start talking again.

"Senses." Bella smiled as she spoke the word.

"Physical and mental abilities far exceed those of humans." I cocked my head to the side but reframed myself from asking anything.

"They can run in excess speeds of hundred miles per hour, able to lift objects hundreds of times their own weights." I gasped as did Charlie. Bella smiled but kept talking.

"Senses are similarly boosted, giving them the ability to see, hear, and smell things imperceptible to humans."

"How so?" I decided to ask this time.

"Seeing." Bella looked over at Edward and smiled.

"Seeing everything. Every dust particle. Every spectrum of light. Every prism of color even whole new colors never seen before."

Bella looked back at us.

"It would be like seeing everything for the first time."

My daughter smiled and said.

"Hearing."

Charlie leaned forward a bit.

"Being able to hear five miles away. Able to hear the freeway from this house. Able to hear the breath of an animal, the settling of leaves, the blood in the veins of animals and people alike."

I shivered at the last one. But Bella smiled and it made me feel better.

"Hearing the sounds of hearts beating, the songs of the wind blowing, hearing the quietest whisper, again it's like hearing for the first time."

"That's amazing!" I gasped out loud and Jacob laughed.

Bella looked at him from the corner of her eye and he stopped.

Making Nessie and Edward laugh.

"Smelling." Bella continued.

"Smelling everything there is. The sweet smell of vampires to the stinky wet dog smell of werewolves."

Edward started laughing this time and Nessie joined him.

Jacob crossed his arms and sank down to sit on the floor again.

"Smelling the different perfumes of different people, vampires animals. Smelling the dirt, nature, the rain."

Charlie and I were silent, listening to the poetic way Bella spoke these words.

"As I was saying before; their skin is harder than granite, rendering their bodies nearly indestructible."

"Nearly?" I couldn't keep myself from asking.

Bella sighed and shook her head.

Like she was trying to get an image out of her mind.

"Nearly." She said again.

"I will tell you later."

I nodded and she continued.

"Their minds work many times faster than humans' are capable of, and all have perfect recall."

"Amazing." Charlie breathed.

The first time he has spoken in a while.

Bella nodded and looked towards Edward.

"Supernatural abilities." Edward spoke calmly.

"There is more?" I gasped out loud again.

Bella laughed and smiled at me. Edward smiled at her.

"Yes Renee." Edward smiled at me this time.

"As I was saying, some have additional gifts. Like psychic gifts as humans that have been intensified. Some examples being; a human with a love of learning, becoming a vampire with an insatiable scholarly curiosity, or a human with a deep value for human life, becoming a vampire with the strength to avoid human blood."

My eyes widened and I looked at Charlie and he looked about the same.

"A human with a good instinct for hunting might become a powerful vampire tracker." As Edward said this Bella shook and Edward pulled her closer.

Charlie looked at them weird.

"I will tell you later." Bella said quietly.

A million different scenarios passed through my mind.

"A human who had some limited precognition might develop into a vampire with strong ability to see the future."

Edward continued.

"A human who was very sensitive to other people's moods might develop the vampire ability to read thoughts or influence emotions."

Bella smiled at Edward and continued.

"Laws" Bella grimaced at the thought of whatever the law was about.

"There is only one law." Bella never looked at us.

"One law, there is only one law! And that is not to tell humans about vampires"

I gasped and was suddenly very scared and worried about us and my daughter and son-in-law.

"Then why tell us and who told you?" Charlie gasped.

Bella took a deep breath and it turned into a long sigh.

"We told you because you are now third in command in the Quileute tribe and you are entitled to know the history of your tribe's enemy's. As for Renee there has been somewhat of a debate on whether to tell her or not. "

Edward told us and Charlie looked towards me and back at them.

"What about Nessie? And what about you two?" Charlie asked again.

Edward shook his head.

Bella stood up and took Nessie in the kitchen and as soon as she was out of hearing range Edward began speaking again.

"Ness is fine on both sides. The werewolves can't hurt her because she is Jacob's imprint. As for the vampire side you will have to wait a little longer for the answer. It's the same for Bella and I" Charlie nodded, not happy.

Bella then walked back in with little Nessie in tow with a dark blue sippy cup in her tiny, long fingered hands.

They retook their seats and Bella started off where she left off.

"Not telling humans, which also means no immortal children because the child cannot keep the secret. If a child is changed it remains childlike in all ways. If the Volturi catch wind of an immortal child, they will destroy the child and all who protect it."

Bella practically hissed and held her child tighter.

I had so many questions but I knew I had to wait for the answers.

"Hybrids" Edward spoke softly and smiled.

A knowing glow passed acrossed his face.

"The biological passing of vampire traits is one of the least common exceptions to normal vampire life."

"What?" I asked, completely lost again.

Well even more so than earlier.

"Just listen mom, you will find out. Edward will explain." Bella said quietly and rubbed a hand on Edward's chest making him grumble something.

"Out of thousands of vampires on the planet, there are only five known hybrids in existence, and these five all originated from only two sources."

Edward continued and I took a chance to look at Charlie and his eyes were back to the size of pizzas.

What is up with him?

"Male vampires do have the capacity to pass on generic material with a human female partner."

Edward said slowly and I gasped, finally grasping what hybrids meant.

I thought they were talking about a car but at the same time I could figure out how that would fit.

"However, it is beyond the ability of most vampires to be so close to a human physically and still resists the lure of her blood."

Charlie leaned into one of his weird positions.

He was completely fascinated.

"Also, vampires are so much stronger than humans that any loss of self-control at such close proximity can quickly lead to mortal injury to the human."

"Then how are there any hybrids?" I asked.

Bella sighed through a laugh.

"That's what Edward said before. ' Out of thousands of vampires on the planet, there are only five known hybrids in existence, and these five all originated from only two sources.'" Bella said with a smirk on her face.

Ohh

"Oh okay my bad. Brain fart."

Bella laughed again and I could she her roll her eyes back.

I smiled at her, I sure have missed her.

"Female vampires can't change to carry a baby." Edward said bringing me out of my thoughts.

"Female vampires don't change, so no baby could form or develop."

Edward sighed again and looked over at Bella, before beginning again.

"Vampire hybrids have both vampire and human traits. They are much stronger and faster than humans, with sharper senses, but not as strong, fast, or sharp as a pure vampire.

They are strong enough, however, that human females are rarely able to survive the gestation period."

Oh my gosh.

I leaned forward listening more intently and I looked at Charlie, him mirroring my position.

"The movement of a hybrid fetus causes extreme injury to the more fragile mother." Edward grimaced and Bella placed her hand on Edward's shoulder.

Calming him almost immediately.

"If the gestation is survived, the birth is not."

Edward closed his eyes tighter.

Bella sat up more.

Placing Nessie on the ground, Nessie's empty sippy cup on the coffee table and pulled Edward to her.

Edward had his face buried in Bella's neck and he took a deep breath.

Why was he so worked up about this?

It was just a story or legend anyways.

I'm sure Charlie was wondering the same thing.

Nessie climbed onto the couch and hugged Edward's shoulder.

Edward turned and smiled at her.

Bella smiled at the two, as Nessie placed herself in Edward's lap.

Bella stood up and took the sippy cup into the kitchen and quickly returned to her husband and child.

"Do you want me to finish?" Bella asked sweetly.

Edward shook his head.

"No I can do it."

Jacob moved to sit next to Bella and the other arm of the couch.

Jacob looked quite upset about the whole thing too.

How weird.

What was the big deal to all of this?

Edward took another breath and continued.

"The usual method of delivery for a hybrid is for the hybrid to make their own escape from the womb."

Nessie whimpered and leaned further back against Edward and hid her beautiful face. Edward ran his long pianist fingers through her bronze curls.

"The hybrids must utilize their teeth, which have more in common with vampire teeth than human teeth, to pierce the amniotic sac- a membrane nearly as durable as vampire skin."

Edward stopped abruptly and looked at Jacob.

"Jake will you take Nessie into another room?"

Jacob nodded quickly and picked up the small child, walking up the stairs.

Edward looked up at Charlie and I; I nodded to him to continue.

He smiled, returning to the tale.

"This is too traumatic to the human body to be survived. Only the introduction of vampire venom to the mother's system can heal the injuries incurred; only one mother has survived to become a vampire."

Edward shuddered and Bella moved herself to sit in his lap.

Edward buried his head back in Bella's neck.

Bella rubbing Edward's head.

"I will tell the rest, love." Edward nodded, still buried in Bella's hair.

Bella took a breath to prepare herself and began where Edward left off.

"Like the amniotic sac, a hybrids skin is almost as durable as their vampire parent's skin, but it does not have the same prismatic reaction to the sunlight."

Charlie and I both gasped.

"What?"

Bella laughed.

"I will tell you the full characteristics of vampires a little later, but for now. Yes vampires sparkle in the sun light."

Charlie and I nodded and Bella continued.

"Hybrids can also have supernatural abilities, though not all do. Like humans, hybrids have a circulatory system and are warm blooded. They can eat solid food. But generally find blood more appealing. They also sleep."

I went to open my mouth but Bella stopped me.

"Before you ask, no vampires do not sleep. At all."

I smiled at her and she began again.

"Their irises come in the usual range of human colors and do not change in response to diet. They either inherit their mother's eye color or their father's human eye color. In the first few years in their lives, hybrids grow and change like humans do."

Bella paused and looked at us.

She ran her fingers through Edward's hair as she said her next sentence.

"Though at an extremely accelerated pace."

Charlie gasped, I was lost again and Bella continued before I could ask anything.

"After roughly seven years the hybrid reaches physical adulthood and settles into the same unchanging state and conditional immortality that vampires enjoy. The hybrid mind develops much faster than the physical body, a hybrid has the mental capacity of an adult human by the time of their birth. Hybrids learn quickly to communicate with their caretakers, picking up their first language mere weeks after birth."

I was completely fascinated.

But I think Charlie was a little woozy.

"The capacity for physical and mental maturation is what sets the hybrids apart from the immortal child."

Charlie sighed and looked at Bella.

"It's okay dad. Take a deep breath."

Charlie nodded and did as she told him to.

"Jacob you can bring Nessie back now."

Bella said at the same tone and level as she was talking to us.

But before I knew it Jacob was back down the stairs and Nessie ran over to Bella.

Edward raised his head from Bella's neck and held his hand out to Nessie which she grabbed and pulled herself up on the couch to sit with her parents.

I could hardly imagine what else they could possibly tell me and Charlie.

"Characteristics" Bella looked back at Edward, nervously.

He smiled and nodded in encouragement.

"Vampires have absolute beauty. But I will get to the bigger details later."

I leaned forward a little more, careful not to fall off the nasty couch.

Bella looked back up at us and smiled.

"Teeth."

I shuddered at the thought.

Charlie looked more uncomfortable.

"Vampires have very normal looking teeth but they are super sharp and unbreakable." Bella spoke slowly.

"They can bite through anything. Diamonds, vampire skin, and every other kind of hard substance."

I swallowed hard and a cold chill ran down my spine.

"Vampires have no tears, they can't cry tears."

Charlie leaned forward again and cocked his head, listening intently.

Bella shook her head.

"Oh but they can sob. Horrible dryless sobs. The sound can bring you to your knees and if it is your mate sobbing it's even worse."

Charlie moved so he was leaning on his knees with his elbows.

"They can't sleep and don't need to breathe; however it gets uncomfortable because they need to breathe to be able to smell."

"They don't have to breathe?!" I gasped out loudly, looking at Bella.

Bella shook her head.

"No they don't, anyways vampires are immortal but they can be killed by fire; if incapacitated but unburned they can reconstitute themselves."

Charlie was almost on the floor now.

Nessie shook and leaned further up against Edward's chest.

I could feel myself starting to sweat.

If these creatures were really real we are screwed.

Nothing could kill them.

"Venom can cure pretty much everything except regrowing limbs." Bella's voice and that sentence brought my attention back to what she was saying.

"Vampires do no age, emotionally or mentally."

Charlie went to say something and then stopped himself.

I wondered briefly what he was going to ask.

"They have all venom based fluids but only their salvia is venomous. Except for hybrids; they have blood and only the males are venomous."

That horrible cold chill went down my spine again.

I hated the feeling.

"They can remain motionless but most choose not too, for more than one reasons."

Edward, Bella and Nessie shuddered lightly.

I was going to ask about it but I quickly changed my mind.

"Vampires don't burn in the sunlight, they sparkle. Like thousands of diamonds shining. Casting rainbows on everything around them."

Ohh so that's what they meant before.

Charlie's eyes still wide as saucers.

"They cannot starve to death, yet they cannot digest human food, they have to throw up human food or else it just sits there; waiting to be expelled."

"Eww!" Everyone looked over at me.

Oh I must have said that out loud.

Oops.

Bella smirked and continued on.

"Blood is the only diet of a vampire, blood makes them stronger, not that with no blood they are weak it just makes them stronger. I really don't know how to explain it."

Bella shook her head and laughed.

"Oh and as I was saying before about beauty. Vampires are flawless and have pale skin with either red, black or gold eyes."

Charlie gasped out loud and sat up straight.

Bella flinched a little and smiled at her father.

Charlie glared at Edward, turned his head and his face soften when he saw Nessie, he smiled gently.

Charlie then looked over that patteren again.

Well I wonder what was his problem?

**A/N: Sorry for the long wait, but my life has been crazy as usual and one of my horses went lame so I had to take care of her, more so than I would normally have to. **

**Thank you guys for all the reviews!**


	8. Chapter 7

_Previously: Charlie gasped out loud and sat up straight._

_Bella flinched a little and smiled at her father._

_Charlie glared at Edward, turned his head and his face soften when he saw Nessie, he smiled gently._

_Charlie then looked over that pattern again._

_Well I wonder what was his problem?_

Chapter Eighteen: Hunted

"But...wait so where do you fit in all this Bella?" I asked as soon as Bella finished speaking.

Bella smiled softly, closing her eyes tight.

"Well mom, I can honestly tell you I'm not a werewolf." She laughed as she opened her eyes.

They seemed a little darker than before.

I shrugged it off as the lights being florescent.

"You only wish you were this cool." Jacob said laughing as he did so.

Bella rolled her eyes.

"Oh Jacob you really think I wished to be a horse sized wolf, chasing rouge vampires all day long? I have already had my fare share of rouge vampires thank you very much." Bella snapped back at him, jokingly.

"What do you mean 'your share of vampires Bella?" Charlie stuttered quietly.

"How many vampires have you came acrossed?" He asked.

Edward snorted and Bella looked cross at him.

Bella looked back over at us and chuckles.

"Um...a little more than 70, 75." Bella said nonchalantly, shrugging slightly.

"WHAT?!" Charlie gasped. I couldn't find my voice.

Jacob growled lightly until Edward snapped at him.

"Shut up Jacob." Bella said after she calmed Edward down.

"It's not like they were hunting you directly." Bella snapped.

"Hunted?" I asked nervously.

Bella nodded and smiled softly.

"I personally have been hunted."

Bella thought about it for a moment and then shook her head.

"How about I tell you a little bit of a story?" Bella suggested.

I looked towards Charlie and the nodded.

"When I first moved here I knew nothing about vampires or werewolves."

"Then how did you find out?!" I asked her loudly and Jacob flinched, him being half asleep.

"I was getting to that." Bella laughed lightly.

"Long story short Jacob is the one who originally told me."

Jacob held up his hands in defense.

"Hey I didn't know they were true at the time!" Edward glared at Jacob and Bella raised an eyebrow. Jacob sat back with his arms crossed against his chest.

Bella smiled, rolling her eyes.

"Anyways my first attack."

"First?!" Charlie interrupted Bella this time.

"Yes, dad my first attack. Meaning I had more than one. I will explain okay."  
>Charlie nodded and sat back a little as I leaned forward.<p>

"Well you know when I said that I was going back to Phoenix and I said all that stuff to you?" Bella asked, Charlie clearly already knowing his answer.

Charlie nodded.

"I was being chased by a sadistic vampire named James."

A low rumble filled the room, sending chills up my spine.

Bella placed her hand on Edward's chest and it stopped.

Was that coming from him?

I shrugged it off.

"Relax, love" she whispered softly.

Charlie was twitching softly.

"You see some vampires have special powers as I said before. James was a tracker."

I caught the 'was' and I had to ask.

"Was?" Charlie beat me to the question.

Bella smiled shyly.

"Yes. Was, he is dead but I will get to that later. Carlisle, Emmett, Rosalie and Edward lead James to Canada with the scent on my clothes but he quickly realized he was being tricked and ran back to Forks. Esme had stayed behind to watch over Charlie."

"What?!" Charlie gasped, interrupting.

"What could she have done?" Charlie basically screamed.

"Oh Esme can hold her own." Edward chuckled under his breath.

"We will answer all questions once I'm finished with the James story."

Charlie and I nodded.

"So Jasper and Alice took me to Arizona and we stayed in a hotel until James contacted me. Saying that he had Renee and well you could guess what happened then. I ran from Alice and Jasper to the ballet studio."

I gasped, covering my mouth.

"The one that burned down?"

Bella nodded.

"The very one. Once I got there I heard Mom's voice, it turned out that he had taken our home movies and played your voice making me think you were there." Bella took a deep breath.

"I didn't really fall down any stairs and out a window. James attacked me, full force, he snapped my leg with his foot, threw me acrossed the room, smacking my head on the mirrors, making my head bleed, sending him in a frenzy."

I gasped and looked at my daughter.

She smiled softly at me again.

Bella took another uneven breath and looked over at Edward before continuing her horrible tale. "Well everything went black. It was like I was looking through dark murky water. Then I heard an angel."

Bella sighed.

"I remember thinking. 'Why is the angel crying?' and "The angel shouldn't be crying.'"

Edward pulled Bella closer to him and little Nessie curled up in Bella's lap.

"What angel? Who?" I asked.

Charlie leaned back with a groan.

The couch moaning with him.

"It was just Edward mom."

"Wait!" I shouted, interrupting Bella in the process.

"Edward is an Angel?! Like Jacob's a werewolf!" I asked my daughter louder than a moment ago.

Bella sighed and rolled her eyes.

Edward and Jacob laughed and little Nessie smiled really big.

Bella smirked and rubbed her face in her hands.

Bella looked back up before speaking again.

"No, mom. Not technically but to me Edward is my own personal angel." Bella then paused and glared at Jacob who was laughing at Edward.

It silenced him.

"But to answer your question no. So back to my story."

Charlie leaned all the way back against the couch again and I followed in suit.

Eww I really hate this couch.

"Anyways as I heard Edward calling my name through the darkness of my foggy mind, I noticed my hand was burning. It was on fire!"

I went to say something but Bella stopped me.

"No mom, not for real. It was because of James. He had bit me."

I gasped and looked at Charlie just in time to see his eyes bug out.

Jacob let loose a short growl.

Edward made a snarling noise from his chest.

Bella placed one of her hands on Edward's chest and the noise stopped.

"The venom was making its way up my arm. But Carlisle had the idea that saved me from the venom that time."

"What?!"

Bella smiled calmly.

"He said that someone had to suck the venom out of me." Bella explained.

I cocked my head to the side.

"Edward saved me that time around by sucking out every bit of the venom out."

Charlie looked over at Edward and gave him a grateful look.

Edward smiled at him and hugged Bella and Nessie.

"Wait! Wasn't that dangerous for you?" I blurted out.

Edward smiled and looked directly at me.

"No. It couldn't do anything to me. But it would be impossible for a human to do so."

"Human?! You're not human?" I asked out loud.

Charlie didn't look too surprised..

Edward smirked and shook his head 'no'

"Didn't we already cover that mom." Bella laughed.

"Then what are you Edward?" I asked him.

Charlie leaned a little more forward, listening.

Edward grimaced and took a deep breath.


	9. Chapter 8

_**Previously:**_

_**Edward smirked and shook his head 'no' **_

**"**_**Didn't we already cover that mom." Bella laughed.**_

**"**_**Then what are you Edward?" I asked him.**_

_**Charlie leaned a little more forward, listening. **_

_**Edward grimaced and took a deep breath.**_

Chapter Twenty: Edward Anthony Masen Jr.

Edward sighed.

"Okay I will tell you my story. But then the rest of the family will have to tell you their own stories."

Charlie and I nodded.

"Here me out, I am going to tell you about when I was human first."

"Jacob take Ness please." Bella said as she handed over little Nessie to Jacob.

Jacob sat back down in the far recliner.

Nessie on his lap, holding onto his burly arm.

Bella then sits up against Edward's side and takes both of his hands in hers.

"I was born on June 20th 1901. In Chicago, Illinois."

Charlie gasped and started choking, then he composed himself.

"I'm alright. Go on." He said, squeakily.

I was too stunned to move.

How old would that make him?

Oh I hate math never mind.

I will figure it out later.

"My parents were Edward Anthony Masen Sr. and Elizabeth Masen."

"So you were named after your father?" I asked but after I did I felt stupid.

"Yes Renee I am." Edward laughed and quickly went back to his story.

"My father provided my mother and I with many advantages most other families didn't have. I had private music lessons, mainly piano and became an accomplished pianist at a very early age. I also had the opportunity to attend a private school; I always excelled at my studies and I loved being in the school close to home."

Man Edward was very lucky.

I wish I could play the piano.

"My father and I were not as close as I would have liked to have been. He was a lawyer and a very accomplished and successful one at that; because of his career he was out of town a lot."

Edward's eyes glazed over and he kissed Bella's head.

He took a breath and continued.

"I was very close to my mother. She often told me 'I was the center of her world.'" Edward sighed and Bella placed her hand on his cheek, caressing him.

He leaned into her touch.

I wish I had that kind of relationship with Phil.

"My mother, well she was actually a lot like Esme. Sweet, very motherly, compassionate." My heart ached at the feeling of his heart break.

"She was the one I got my hair and eye color from. She was like an angel. Bright shiny bronze hair that hung low on her back when she was home and pulled into a tight bun when we were out in town. Her eyes were always happy and shinning. Her eyes were a bright, vibrant emerald green."

"Green?!" I gasped.

"You don't have green eyes though!"

Edward shook his head.

"No my eyes were the same deep, bright, green when I was human. But that and a lot of other things have changed."

I went to say something else but Bella stopped me .

"Mom let him finish."

I nodded and Edward continued again.

"My father had wanted me to follow him in his career. For me to become a lawyer. But World War 1 was raging through most of my adolescence; I wanted to become a soldier and planned to when I turned 18, but I was very reluctant because I didn't want to leave my mother."

Edward took another deep sigh and pulled my daughter closer.

I moved to sit a little closer to the arm of the couch.

"But that all changed, when my parents and I became sick with the Spanish Influenza in 1918."

Charlie leaned onto his knees again.

"My father died in the first was of the flu. He never regained consciousness once he was in the hospital"

Edward shook his head.

"Then my mother caught the influenza and then me."

Nessie gasped and squirmed out Jacob's massive arms.

"Daddy!"

She ran to Edward and threw her arms around his neck.

"I'm fine baby."

She nuzzled her head under his neck.

"But my mother, Elizabeth, she was alert until almost the very end. Carlisle said she worried obsessively over me and that she was hurting her own chances of survival trying to nurse me from my sickbed."

Edward sighed and hugged Nessie closer to his chest.

"Carlisle?!" Charlie gasped.

Edward laughed.

"Yes Carlisle. He was our doctor. Like I said human memories fade, Carlisle told my most of what I'm telling you to preserve my parents memory. He says I look a great deal like my mother ; same strange shade of bronze hair, same bright green eyes."

Edward's eyes looked faraway.

"Carlisle said he expected me to go first, since I was so much worse than my mother was."

Bella squeezes Edward's hand and kissed his temple.

"Carlisle said my mother begged for him to save me. Her exacted words were 'you must do everything within _your_ power. What others cannot do, that is what you must do for my Edward.'"

Edward smiled and looked over at Bella and Nessie.

"And thank God Carlisle acted on my mother's wishes. Shortly after my mother passed, I was near death myself; Carlisle snuck my out of the hospital and saved me."

"How did he save you? How old is Carlisle then?" I asked, so confused.

I looked over at Charlie and he had the stupidest look on his face.

His eyes all bugged out, eyebrows up high, mouth closed in a firm line, nostrils flared.

I was going to say something else but changed my mind.

Edward smiled, nervously.

"I'm afraid Carlisle will have to tell you that himself or you will have to figure it out on your own."

Charlie nodded, and I followed in suit.

"I formed a very deep bond with Carlisle, he quickly became a father to me. He gained my trust and love the way my natural father never had."

Edward shifted his weight and leaned up against the armrest.

"In 1921, I gained a mother in Esme. Carlisle and Esme will have to tell you that story themselves."

I looked back over at Charlie and it looked like he was trying to calculate something. Edward sighed and he rubbed his eyes with the palms of his large hands.

"From 1927 to 1931 I had a..."

Bella placed her hand back on Edward's.

"Edward it's okay." Bella whispered and then said something lower where I could not make it out.

Edward nodded and began talking again.

"As I was saying from 1927 to 1931 I had a very hard time. I had a rebellious period." Charlie gasped and looked at Edward.

"Sorry go on." Charlie said.

"When I came back in 1931 Carlisle and Esme welcomed me back with open arms." Edward sighed and continued.

"In 1933 Rosalie Hale joined the family. Later on I found out Carlisle thought she would be to me as Esme is to him."

I looked Edward in the eye and cocked my head.

Edward laughed.

"We were nothing more than siblings."

I sighed and looked back over at Charlie, who was in his own world.

"Emmett joined the family in 1935 and him and Rose will tell you everything later as well. Then Jasper and Alice found us in 1950."

Edward smiled after finishing that sentence.

"And then three years ago I met the love of my life."

Edward said and he kissed the top of Bella's head.

Bella smiled and placed her head on his shoulder.

"Then why did you leave two years ago?" Charlie asked.

Nessie looked up at Edward.

Edward nodded to her and tears welled up in her eyes.

Bella pulled Ness onto her lap and was whispering to her so low I didn't have a prayer to be able to know what she said.

Edward looks over at Charlie.

"I swear to you Charlie I will tell you and Renee everything that happened a couple years ago in some detailing but after everyone else tells their stories."

Charlie nodded.

Edward pulled out his phone and dialed a number.

"Carlisle" was the only word I really understood as he talked quickly into the small cellphone.

Edward clicked the phone off and smiled.

"Carlisle and the rest are on their way. They will be here in minutes."

Bella smiled and nodded at Edward, before she stood up, placed Nessie in the seat next to Edward and walked into the kitchen.

Edward looked over at Jacob ad nodded.

"Carlisle and Esme will tell their story first then Rosalie and Emmett then Jasper and Alice; then Bella and I will tell you the rest if ours."

Edward paused and smiled at Nessie.

"And of course we will tell you out daughter's story." Nessie smiled up at Edward. "Edward why did you guys choose the name Nessie?" I asked and Charlie smiled.

Well more like grinned.

Oh he knew.

He knew something I didn't know.

"Well I will let you know as soon as Bella wants to tell you." Edward chuckled.

Bella comes back into the living room with a blue non-spill cup in her hands.

Nessie sat up and smiled at Bella.

"Thank you mama." Nessie said as Bella handed her the cup.

"You're welcome baby."

Bella rubs her hand down Nessie's head, flattening the wild curls.

Jacob made a noise and Bella rolled her eyes and threw something to him or at him. Jacob caught the bag and opened it; pulling out a ziploc with a sandwich.

"Thanks mom!" Jacob said to Bella.

"You are asking for it Jacob Black." My daughter threatened.

Edward just laughed.

A knock on the door broke the laughter.

"Come in Carlisle." Edward said still chuckling a bit. Charlie sat back down, having stood up to get the door.

Everyone walked in, Alice, Jasper, Rosalie and Emmett immediately walked over behind Edward and Bella and little Nessie.

Then they went around and sat gracefully on the floor.

"Hey blondie." Jacob said to Rosalie with a mouth full of sandwich.

Rosalie curled up her nose to Jacob and he snickered.

Emmett smiled at Jacob behind Rosalie's back.

"Emmett." Rosalie hissed, making Emmett flinched and hide into himself.

Edward slid into the floor and leaned up against Bella's legs after she moved to sit next to the arm rest.

Placing Nessie on her lap.

Ness's hand went straight to play with her father's hair.

Carlisle and Esme sat next to Bella. Esme sitting closest to her, she places her hand on Bella's cheek and says something very quiet.

Bella nodded and the Esme kisses Bella in the top of her head and then did the same to Nessie.

Carlisle clears his throat.

"Well I guess the best place to begin is at the beginning."

Carlisle smiled making my head spin. Stupid stupid Renee.

Charlie sat up a little further as Carlisle prepares to speak.

Carlisle sighs and shakes his head.

"Alright, I was born in London, England."

"Oh you're a brit!" I gasped out loud.

The younger Cullen's laughed and Edward and Bella roll their eyes. Carlisle chuckled.

"Yes, anyways my father was an Anglican Pastor."

Charlie leans a little bit more forward.

"My mother passed giving birth to me."

Esme pats his leg and Edward squeezes Bella's hand.

Why? I don't know.

"I was born during a time of religious and political upheaval."

Charlie cocked his head to the side, listening.

"My father and other pastors led hunt for anyone he thought might be a witch, werewolf, vampires; anything that was different or misunderstood. He seemed to  
>always be on a witch hunt. Many of these hunts however would just end up killing innocent citizens."<p>

Carlisle rubbed his face.

"As my father aged, he had me take over the raids. I wouldn't kill but I was smart enough to find a real coven of vampires inhabiting the sewers of London."

Charlie and I gasped. But said nothing.

"I led the hunt after them and in the chaos that ensued; I was attacked and was left bleeding in the street by one of the rouge vampire."

Carlisle was interrupted by a little girl jumping on his lap.

He said something quietly and everyone, except Charlie and I laughed.

"Anyways knowing what my father would do, I hid myself in a potato cellar, for my very painful transformation."

Charlie made a choking sound and his eyes did the stupid bugged out thing.

Carlisle chuckled low in his throat and took a deep breath.

"And three days later emerged as a vampire."

Carlisle paused as Charlie stuttered something.

I took me a moment to grasp the word but when I did I was still confused.

Carlisle.

Potato cellar.

Transformation.

Vampire.

My eyes widened, Carlisle is a vampire?!

No he is too nice.

I dismissed my earlier thoughts and then Carlisle continued.

Charlie still silent and bug eyed.

"Before you freak out about the word vampire please let everyone tell their stories. You already know how our diet is and everything else. You have our whole history. Just please wait until everyone is finished." Carlisle spoke very formally.

Charlie and I both nodded in sync.

"Anyways I was repelled and horrified by what I had become, and tried various ways of killing myself, including starvation, drowning, and jumping off cliffs."

I gasped and so did little Nessie and she looked up at Carlisle wide eyed.

He smiled softly at her and kissed her forehead.

"Eventually I was so desperate for blood that while I was hiding in a cave in a forest I attacked and fed on a herd of passing deer."

Charlie's still posture relaxed a bit and I was still trying to figure out all this. Right now all I know for sure is Carlisle is a vampire.

But a good vampire.

"I found that I could survive off animal blood and I considered this much more humane than drinking the blood of a human, thereby killing them."

Nessie climbed down from Carlisle's lap and ran over and sat down on Rosalie's.

"I found new life in this fact and over the course of about two centuries was able to perfect my ability to resist the bloodlust caused by the scent of human blood."

"Two centuries?!" Charlie gasped and continued his question.

"When were you born in London? Or changed or whatever?"

"Oh I'm sorry I was born in 1640 and changed in 1663 making me 23."

I gasped and looked over at Charlie to see his eyes twitch.

Carlisle is clean over three hundred years old!

Charlie nodded; signaling Carlisle to continue.

"During those two centuries, I studied at night, becoming a "nighttime patron of the arts. As a result of my meticulous studying, I was able to become a doctor."

"A brilliant doctor!" Esme smiled at her husband.

He smiles kindly at her and kisses nose lightly.

Charlie smiled at the small exchange.

"I was studying in Italy when I stumbled across the Volturi the dominant vampire coven that was led by three vampires named Aro, Marcus, and Caius."

A fierce growl rang through the room causing Charlie and I to jump.

Carlisle looks over at Emmett and Rosalie.

Emmett was still sitting on the ground but with Nessie now on his lap and Rosalie was now pacing.

Her heels making no noise on the carpet.

"Rose." Carlisle said almost like a warning.

Rosalie looked up at him and then walked back over by Emmett.

She fell gracefully to the floor into her previous seat.

I don't know what just happened and I don't really want to know.

Carlisle sighs and began talking again.

"They were much more educated and refined than those living in the sewers of London, but still lived on human blood."

Bella shivered and flinched, leaning further into Esme.

Edward reached up from the floor and placed his hand on Bella's knee.

"While they attempted to convert me to the natural food source, their attempts were unsuccessful of course. After living with the Volturi for 2 decades, I moved on to the New World, where I became a doctor and used my skills to help people."

Carlisle looked over to Esme and began again.

"In 1911, I worked as a doctor in Columbus. Because the local doctor was away, I was assigned to treat Esme Anne Platt's broken leg after she fell off a tree."

Esme half smiles at Carlisle.

"This encounter, however, left a strong affection on me and vice versa, even though our encounter was brief. Though I had found ways to use my skills for good, I did not find what I was searching for: a companion who shared my philosophy and value on human life."

Bella smiles at Carlisle and runs her fingers through Edward's hair.

"My loneliness increased over the years, and eventually, I began considering creating a companion of my own; but the idea of cursing someone else with the same life as I repulsed me."

Carlisle glanced over to Edward who was still sitting on the floor; flashing him a small grin.

"In 1918, I worked night shifts in a Chicago hospital during the Spanish influenza epidemic. During the epidemic, I encountered a dying woman named Elizabeth Masen."

I half gasped but stayed quiet.

"Her son, Edward, was dying of influenza as well. Elizabeth begged me to do anything within my power to save her son as she lay dying. Out of loneliness, and armed with the knowledge that Edward was alone in the world, I changed him, making him my companion."

Edward smiled up at Carlisle and mouthed the words 'thank you' and leaned his head back against Bella's legs.

"We started traveling together; using the cover story that Edward was the younger brother of my late wife. Not long after, in 1921, Edward and I moved to Ashland, Wisconsin, where I was called to the bedside of a dying woman."

Oh my gosh that means Edward's a vampire too!

I wonder if Bella knew all along.

Oh I need to stay quiet and listen.

"I was very surprised when I found out the woman was Esme, who suffered injuries from a failed suicide attempt spurred by the loss of her child."

I gasped as did Charlie.

Nessie scampers from Emmett's lap to sit on Esme's.

"Remembering her as the ever-so-happy young girl and unable to believe that someone as vivacious and beautiful as she would meet such cruel fate, I changed her into a vampire to save her life."

"I then explained to Esme about what I had done to save her and to my surprise, she was not upset by my decision; she, too, remembered out first meeting, and had always considered me her ideal of a gentleman."

Esme grins. "Yes I did."

A few of the Cullen's laughed at that.

"We soon fell in love and married. I will let everyone else tell their story but I want to tell you about the treaty."

Jacob leans toward Carlisle at the word.

"Before Alice and Jasper joined us, the family and I moved to Forks, Washington where we then made a treaty with the Quileute tribe, led by a shape-shifter named Ephraim Black."

Charlie leans back onto his knees.

"The treaty stated that the Quileutes would leave the Cullens alone and not reveal them to humans if the Cullens would refrain from biting humans - whether to kill or change them - or trespassing on Quileute land. Because of the treaty, we were able to live in relative peace."

Bite not kill?

Charlie looks back over to Carlisle.

"Was? Is the treaty different now?" He asked.

Carlisle nodded.

"Yes with Jacob being the chief he is able to change what he wishes. We can go over the new treaty later on."

Charlie and I nodded.

Jacob's a chief!

"Esme?" Carlisle smiled at his wife. She nodded and began her story.

"I was born in 1895. I grew up on a farm on the outskirts of Columbus, Ohio, where I had a very happy childhood."

Esme's eyes looked far away as she spoke.

"As a teenager, my playful, mischievous nature often got me into trouble. At the age of 16, I fell out of a tree and broke my leg; and like Carlisle said; since the local  
>doctor was out of town, I was treated by him."<p>

Esme leans up against Carlisle.

"He moved out of town not long after that, but I never forgot the kind doctor with whom I had gotten along with so well. I Initially wanted to move West to become a school teacher, I was pressured by my parents to stay and marry."

Charlie cocked his head, listening.

"At the age of 22, in an attempt to please my parents, I married Charles Evenson, but I soon realized my husband was an abusive man."  
>I gasped as did Charlie.<p>

"My family urged me to keep quiet about the abuse, and I had no choice but to endure it."  
>Charlie shook his head.<p>

"Much to my relief, my husband was drafted during World War I, finally giving me some peace."  
>Esme took a deep breath and continued.<p>

"I enjoyed a happy period of time while Charles was away, but when Charles returned in 1919, the abuse returned with him."

Nessie who had moved from Esme to Alice earlier now moved to sit on Edward's lap on the floor.

"Sometime after his return, I found out that I was pregnant."

Charlie shook his head again.

Poor Esme. Was all I could think.

"Not wanting my child to grow up in such a dangerous home, I ran away to my cousin in Milwaukee, Wisconsin."

Charlie nodded and gave a little smile.

"When Charles found my whereabouts, I ran away again, this time to Ashland and posed as a war widow. In order to support myself, I became a school teacher, temporarily fulfilling my childhood dream."

I smiled and Esme which she returned before beginning to speak again.

"My child was born in 1921, only to die from lung fever 2 days later."

Carlisle squeezed Esme's knee. Bella leaned her head on Esme's shoulder and Edward patted Esme's other knee in comfort.

"I was devastated."

Her voice broke a little.

"After my baby's death, I felt that I no longer had any reason to live, and attempted suicide by jumping off a cliff."

Charlie and I gasped again and little Nessie climbed back in Esme's lap.

Jacob and Edward glared at Bella.

Charlie grimaced.

Oh I will find out later.

"When I was found, my condition was so bad that they didn't even attempt to revive me. I was immediately brought to the morgue, although my heart was still beating faintly."

She smiled up at her husband.

"Carlisle was working in the area at the time, and recognized me as the happy, beautiful young girl he treated 10 years earlier."

Carlisle kissed Esme's temple.

It was a very sweet gesture.

"I regained consciousness in excruciating pain, but I was happy to see Carlisle again."

Nessie placed one of her little hands on Esme's cheek and Esme smiled and nodded to her.

"But the real challenge for me was the blood lust, and I did lose control of my thirst a few times. But that is all water under the bridge now."

Charlie's eyes were wide but he smiled at Esme all the same as did I.

After Esme finished her story her and Carlisle rose from the couch and sat down where Rosalie and Emmett were.

Rosalie stood and walked up and sighed deeply.

"Okay I am going to tell you only because I have to. I am going to make it short and sweet."

Rosalie huffed and continued as she sat on the couch.

"If you need any more details Bella or Edward or anyone else for that matter will answer your questions."

Rosalie crosses her long legs and looked over at Edward who nodded to her.

"As I am telling my stories I would like little to no interruptions. Understood?"

Her chime voice rang in my ears.

Charlie and I nodded in unison.

Rosalie smiled beautifully at us as she began talking.

"I was born in Rochester, New York in 1915. I had two younger brothers, a housewife for a mother, and my father worked at a bank. My father's job helped keep the family very wealthy during the Great Depression. We were like royalty and we were treated as such. I was born beautiful and was constantly praised, making me vain and self-centered as a result."

Jacob snorted and Rosalie looked at him making him flinch.

"Watch it dog! I am being as honest as I can. I know I'm vain, so what I've been this way for as long as I can remember so just shut your muzzle!"

Jacob closed his mouth and leaned as far from Rosalie as he could; causing Emmett to snicker.

Rosalie rolled her eyes and began again.

"My parents took pride in my looks, which I enjoyed. My long, pale blonde hair my violet/blue eyes. I of course also enjoyed my father's pleasure in buying me beautiful clothes, my girlfriends' envy, and the admiration of every man I passed. Even though all attention made me self-absorbed, shallow, and materialistic."

Rosalie uncrossed her legs and then crossed them the other way.

"However, unlike my social-climbing parents, who always wanted more out of life despite their already elevated status, I was just happy in the knowledge that I was Rosalie Lillian Hale, and that I was very beautiful: I adored the way I was praised by everyone for my beauty."

Rosalie smirked.

"But I was, however, bothered by the superior beauty of the members of the Cullen family: Carlisle, Esme, and Edward, but because I guess I hardly saw them, I did not let that get the better of me."

Edward smiled to himself, making sure Rosalie didn't see him.

"One day, my mother had me dress up to deliver my father's forgotten lunch to his job, in the hopes that the son of the bank's owner would take notice of me, and it worked."

She grimaced and kept the frown.

She was still beautiful with the crossed look on her face.

"Royce King II sent roses to me and, after making a comment that my eyes were like violets, I began receiving them, too. Our relationship was solely based on physical attraction, as Royce was often too busy at the bank."

Rosalie sighed and Emmett took her hand in his.

"We became engaged and in April 1933; one week before the wedding, I visited my very good friend Vera, who I envied for her baby boy. He had black curly hair and the sweetest face. His name was Henry"

Rosalie's eyes turned very sad.

"And at one point, when Vera's husband kissed her, I finally noticed the lack of love in my relationship with Royce that was so obvious in Vera's. While walking home, shaken by my thoughts about my loveless relationship, I then stumbled across my drunken fiancé and his equally drunk friends; Royce bragged about his fiancé's beauty which eventually led to me being brutally gang-raped and beaten before being left in the street to die."

I gasped as did Charlie.

Oh my gosh that poor girl.

Emmett took her into his giant arms.

"I was found by Carlisle, the scent of blood having attracted him to me. He carried me to a room where he turned me in to what I am today, worsening the pain I was already in. I awoke to the voices of the Cullens arguing with Carlisle about him saving me. Edward was unhappy with the idea that Carlisle had changed me in the hopes that I could be his mate. I of course was furious at Edward's rejection, even despite my own lack of feelings for him as well."

"My vanity still needed feeding and I was surprised and hurt that Edward didn't seem attracted to me. Upon seeing my reflection, my unhappy mood increased with my now improved beauty. I soon avenged my own death by killing Royce's friends. Having saved Royce for last, I donned a bridal gown for dramatic effect and found him locked in a windowless room with a thick, vault-like door guarded by two men. Killing the guards, I entered the room where I tortured Royce to death. Though I killed seven men, I was very careful to not spill even the smallest drop of their blood, knowing that I wouldn't be able to resist."

I was suddenly quite frightened by Rosalie.

"After my transformation, I became a permanent member of the Cullen family. I don't have any special powers other than basic vampire abilities, enhanced beauty and self-control. Like I said before Carlisle had intended for Edward and I to be like he and Esme are, but Edward only loved me as a sister and I him as a brother."

Rosalie sighed and smiled softly.

"Two years after my transformation, in 1935, I stumbled across a young man named Emmett McCarty being mauled by a bear outside of Gatlinburg, Tennessee."

She looked over at Emmett.

I guess she was waiting for him to tell his story.

"Okay well I was born in 1915 and I grew up in the small town of Gatlinburg, Tennessee. I was part of a large Scotch-Irish family."

Emmett looked a million miles away. "I had what my parents considered a wild adolescence, never one to worry about consequences and preferring to gamble, drink, and womanize."

Emmett chuckled and Rosalie smacked him.

"Babe you know you are the only one for me."

Emmett said sweetly to Rosalie, causing her to smile.

Emmett went back to his story.

"However, I was a loving child of my family who always kept them supplied with games."

Emmett smiled.

"I worked on the railroad with my older brothers in Gatlinburg, while my younger 14 year old sister would help our mother with housework. I was changed into a vampire by Carlisle in 1935, two years after Rose had been changed."

Emmett's eyes narrowed as he talked and thought.

"When Rose came across me, I was being mauled by a black bear in the mountains of Tennessee. I had nearly died from the attack, but Rosalie saved me and carried me over a hundred miles back to Carlisle."

Emmett smiles at Rosalie, kissing her temple; like Carlisle had did to Esme.

"Rosalie said that it took nearly all her strength not to kill me. She also said that she brought me to Carlisle so that he, with his stronger endurance to human blood, could save me, being afraid that she would kill me instead."

Emmett smiled.

"The experience was as 'being saved by an angel who brought him to God' While going through the change, Carlisle attempted to inject painkillers into my system to numb the pain, but the venom burned it out before it could spread."

Charlie leaned back onto his knees.

I crossed my legs again.

"After my painful transformation, Rosalie and Carlisle explained to me that he was a vampire. This did not upset me, however, like Rosalie and Carlisle had thought it would. I put in my own words, 'Hell's not so bad if you get to keep an angel with you.'"

Emmett kissed Rosalie's head again.

"As I still cared for my natural family and knew that I could no longer go back, I had Edward prepare a bag of fortune in hopes to ease their pain of losing a hardworking son and personally left it on the porch."

Edward nodded and Bella smiled at him, proudly.

"I hadn't looked back since then. I did, however, initially have trouble adjusting to the rule of only feeding on animals, and has tasted human blood on several occasions."

Charlie made a noise but quickly recovered and continued listening.

I on the other hand was trying to put everything I learned together.

And I was failing miserably.

"We were forced to move around for this reason. I had even run into two strangers whose blood appealed to me like Bella's did to Edward, causing me to lose control."

Charlie went to say something but Edward stopped him.

"I will explain everything later."

Charlie and I nodded.

"I married Rosalie before Alice and Jasper joined their family. I have attended several high schools and colleges, but never earned any particular degree, preferring instead to move quickly from one subject that interests me to the next."

Emmett shrugged and smiled a big goofy grin.

Jasper and Alice stood and switched seats with Rosalie and Emmett.

Jasper sighed and took a deep unneeded breath.

"My story is kind of hard to stomach. But I have to tell you anyways."

A shiver went from the base of my head to the end of my spine.

Charlie gulped loudly next to me.

"I was the youngest major in the Confederate Army in Texas. Having lied and joined the army before he turned 17."

Charlie began twitching again; just ever so slightly though.

"And I was, until I was turned into a vampire by Maria and two other female vampires, Lucy and Nettie, who had recently lost their respective territories. Maria used me and other newborns to reclaim her place and later claim dominance over others. Nettie and Lucy were later destroyed by me when they tried to rebel against Maria."

Charlie's twitch started again and I had to hold in my gasp.

"Maria and I seemingly shared a short romantic relationship but she never got over her deceased mate; which I understand completely."

He looked down at Alice and smiled.

"If I ever lost Alice I don't know how I would make it."

Alice pecks Jasper on the nose and he begins talking again.

"When I became a vampire, I gained the ability to feel and manipulate people's emotions which was very useful in controlling the younger newborns."  
>Charlie gasped and cocked his head to the side, like a dog trying to understand something.<p>

I looked up.

I thought I heard a chuckle.

Must be my imagination.

"Oh how so Jasper?" Charlie asked his first question in a long time.

Jasper sighed.

"Like I can make anyone feel any emotion I want but I also feel everyone's feelings and emotions."

Charlie nodded his head in understanding.

Well good for him!

I'm still behind.

"I commanded Maria's newborn army that participated in the Southern vampire wars. Since Maria wouldn't keep vampires that proved useless after their first year, I was responsible for disposing of them, something I felt horrible and late remorseful for because I could feel their pain when I killed them just as much as I could feel the pain of my human victims."

Alice patted Jasper on the leg.

Nessie hopped up from sitting on the floor next to Edward to sit on Jasper's lap.

Jasper smiled sweetly at her and started talking; while playing with Nessie's hair.

"While I was in the army, I befriended a newborn named Peter, whom I persuaded Maria to keep."

Nessie smiled.

"I like Peter and Charlotte."

Nessie's little chime voice rang through the room.

Everyone in the room nodded in agreement except Charlie and I.

"When Peter ran off with Charlotte, a newborn that I was supposed to kill, I allowed them to escape. After this incident, Maria's feelings for me drastically changed: I could sense how fearful - and sometimes - it was toward me, and that she would plot a way to destroy me."

Ness looked up listening to Jasper.

"I began planning on how to destroy her first, despite my reluctance to the idea of destroying the one person who mattered to me, but my years in that coven had affected me so deeply that I almost became a savage."

Charlie made another strange noise.

I was getting sick of strange noises.

"In 1938, Peter came back and told me about the way vampires could coexist up North. I immediately left Maria and her coven to join Peter and Charlotte."

"I traveled with Peter and Charlotte for a few years, getting the feel of this new, more peaceful world. But the depression didn't fade. I didn't understand what was wrong with me, until Peter noticed that it was always worse after I'd hunted."

Bella shifting her weight caught my eye.

I looked over at her and she was playing with Edward's hair.

"I contemplated that. In so many years of slaughter and carnage, I'd lost nearly all of my humanity. I was undeniably a nightmare, a monster of the grisliest kind. Yet each time I found another human victim, I would feel a faint prick of remembrance for that other life. Watching their eyes widen in wonder at my beauty, I could see Maria and the others in my head, what they had looked like to me the last night that I was Jasper Whitlock. It was stronger for me - this borrowed memory - than it was for anyone else, because I could feel everything my prey was feeling. And I lived their emotions as I killed them."

Charlie's stupid noise happened again.

I shifted my weight and then tucked my right leg under me.

"I wondered if you guys realize how the feelings in a room affect me . I live every day in a climate of emotion. For the first century of my life, I lived in a world of bloodthirsty vengeance. Hate was my constant companion. It eased some when I left Maria, but I still had to feel the horror and fear of my prey. It began to be too much."

Charlie looked thoughtful for a moment before returning to a more concentrating look.

"The depression got worse, and I wandered away from Peter and Charlotte. Civilized as they were, they didn't feel the same aversion I was beginning to feel. They only wanted peace from the fight. I was so wearied by killing - killing anyone, even mere humans. Yet I had to keep killing. What choice did I have? I tried to kill less often, but I would get too thirsty and I would give in. After a century of instant gratification, I found self-discipline . . . challenging. I still haven't perfected that."

Jasper was lost in the story, as was Charlie and I.

It surprised me when his desolate expression smoothed into a peaceful smile.

Nessie move from Jasper's lap back down to Edward's on the floor.

"In 1948, I was in Philadelphia. There was a storm, and I was out during the day - something I was not completely comfortable with yet. I knew standing in the rain would attract attention, so I ducked into a little half-empty diner. My eyes were dark enough that no one would notice them, though this meant I was thirsty, and that worried me a little."

Jasper's smile grew.

"She was there - expecting me, naturally."

He chuckled once.

"She hopped down from the high stool at the counter as soon as I walked in and came directly toward me."

Alice smirked.

"It shocked me. I was not sure if she meant to attack. That's the only interpretation of her behavior my past had to offer. But she was smiling. And the emotions that were emanating from her were like nothing I'd ever felt before."

Alice's smirk grew even more.

"'You've kept me waiting a long time,' she said."

"And you ducked your head, like a good Southern gentleman, and said, 'I'm sorry, ma'am.'" Alice said and laughed at the memory.

Jasper smiled down at her again.

"You held out your hand, and I took it without stopping to make sense of what I was doing. For the first time in almost a century, I felt hope."

Jasper took Alice's hand as he spoke.

Alice grinned.

"I was just relieved. I thought you were never going to show up."

They smiled at each other for a long moment, and then Jasper looked back to me and Charlie, the soft expression lingering.

"Alice told me what she'd seen of Carlisle and his family. I could hardly believe that such an existence was possible. But Alice made me optimistic. So we went to find them. We did in 1950."

Edward chuckled lightly.

"Scared the hell out of them, too." Edward said from his place at Bella's feet.

Rolling his eyes at Jasper before turning to us to explain.

"Emmett and I were away hunting. Jasper shows up, covered in battle scars, towing this little freak"

Edward nudged Alice playfully, it was easily done since Alice was sitting closest to Bella.

"Who greets them all by name, knows everything about them, and wants to know which room she can move into."

Alice and Jasper laughed in harmony, like soprano and bass I think.

"When I got home, all my things were in the garage."

Edward continued an Bella and Nessie laughed.

"Your room had the best view." Alice said as she shrugged her tiny shoulders.

"Later Alice and I married. When I joined the Cullen family, I changed my surname from Whitlock to Rosalie's surname of "Hale" and I pose as her twin due to our physical similarities." Jasper explained.

"Out of the whole coven, I have the hardest time being around humans, due to my untrained upbringing as a young vampire in an army environment. I was not taught to control or how to regulate my blood lust, and this imperfection continued throughout the next 50 years."

Jasper took a breath before he continued.

"Maria sought me out again when we were in Calgary. The encounter prompted our family to move again, and then I politely asked Maria to keep her distance, because I had no interest in rejoining her coven and lifestyle. Oh and throughout my time with the Cullens, I have attended high school and university many times, and earned degrees in history and philosophy."

Jasper sighed and Bella turns and looks at Jasper.

"Really Jasper you do fine."

Jasper smirked sweetly at my daughter.

"Have you ever thought that you are the strongest."

Jasper looked at her in question.

Edward cocked his head and Bella rolled her eyes.

"Because Jasper, you feel everyone's thirst! So then you have how many vampires there are in the room and your own thirst attacking you." Bella stated.

Jasper's eyes went wide.

Esme gasped and Carlisle looked amazed.

Alice smiled as did Emmett and Rosalie.

Edward reached over and kissed Bella's hand; that was now on Edwards's shoulder.

"You're right Bella."

Carlisle gasped out.

"After all these years..."

Bella put up her hand and smiled.

"Will talk about it later."

Jasper smiled big and reached acrossed a ducked Alice and kissed Bella on the top of her head.

"Thank you darlin'" His southern drawl peeking in his voice.

Bella whispered something and he nodded.

As he went to sit back down he kissed Alice full on the lips.

Alice smiled and pecked Jasper again.

Alice sighed.

"First things first I don't remember any if my human life personally. I only know what I researched and what I was told by James."

Alice growled the name.

Charlie looked shocked.

Was it the same James that attacked Bella?

Oh well I will find out later.

"When James took Bella he said he knew me when I was human and my changer."

Oh nice I found out fast!

"I'm not going to be talking about James or anything about him really. I am just going to tell you how everything went down and what I found out and put together."

We all nodded.

"This is what I know in a nutshell. I found this out while we were gone a couple years ago. So here it is my name was Mary Alice Brandon. I had a little sister named Cynthia. Her daughter - my niece - is still alive in Biloxi... I went through all the old newspapers on microfiche. My family wasn't mentioned often; they weren't part of the social circle that made the papers. My parents' engagement was there, and Cynthia's. My birth was announced... and my death. I found my grave. I also filched my admissions sheets from the old asylum archives. The date on the admission and the date on my tombstone are the same."

Alice took a deep breath and began again.

"This is what I have found out since Nessie was born in more detail."

Charlie leaned a little more forward.

I leaned back and crossed my legs.

"I was born into a middle-class home in Biloxi, Mississippi, in 1901."

Oh same as Edward.

"My father was a jeweler and a pearl trader. My mother tended to the home because my father traveled often. It turns out I was prone to having premonitions of the future since I was a child, though they weren't always correct."

"Visions!"

I gasped out loud.

I quickly clasped my hands over my mouth.

Nessie giggled and looked up at Alice.

Alice smiled.

"I will get to my visions in a moment."

Charlie and I nodded.

"Though I rarely spoke of my power, people in town talked a lot during my adolescent years. On two occasions, I tried to warn a friend and a cousin with my unfortunate predictions, but they refused to listen and when the predictions came true, I was blamed for cursing them, earning me the epithets of "witch" and "changeling" from the townsfolk."

Charlie let loose a small gasp but said nothing.

"I had a horrifying vision of my mother being murdered by a stranger and tried to warn her about it. Though she believed me, my father did not. After months of precautions with nothing serious happening, my mother put her guard down, and was eventually killed. While I saw it happen and tried to explained that it was murder, it was declared accidental and my father silenced me."

Poor Alice.

I caught myself leaning forward like Charlie.

"Within six months, my father remarried a blonde Yankee from Illinois whose father was a promising customer. My stepmother treated me coldly while idolizing my sister."

Nessie patted her aunt on the knee from her spot next to Edward.

"I suspected that the marriage and my mother's murder were all planned and carried out by my father, who raged at me for suggesting ill of his new wife."

Charlie nodded without knowing.

"Then, I had a vision of my father and my mother's killer planning to kill me, revealing the true face of my father."

Charlie looked saddened and at the same time completely angry.

"I tried to hide in my closest relatives' house, but they drove me away as they still blamed me for the death of their son."

Charlie and I shook our heads simultaneously.

"I then rushed to the town's marshal, but my father was already one step ahead of me. He told the townsfolk that his daughter had gone mad, and had me trapped in a mental asylum two counties away."

Charlie gasped loudly and my gasped was caught on my throat.

"While in the asylum, my head was shaved during the threat of typhoid outbreak."

Oh that's why her hair is short I guess.

"I also endured electroshock therapy which rendered me with total amnesia, but it also restored my naturally cheerful and humorous self."

Alice smiled and leaned onto Jasper for support.

"A vampire who worked at the asylum befriended me and treated me like a daughter. He also frequently visited me with objects hidden in his hands to test my powers, and shielded me from other horrifying treatments as best as he was able."

Jasper clasped Alice's tiny hands with his large ones.

"One day, I had a vision of a powerful tracker named James coming after me, which occurred the moment he caught my faint scent. The vampire immediately bit me, took me away and went to distract James, sacrificing himself in the process. When James finally found me, my blood was already fully turned and he decided to let me live a savaged existence to see how I might turn out in the future."

Jasper shook his head and picked up Alice, placing her on his lap.

"When I woke up, the pain of the venom erased all of my memories, just like the shocking treatments did. That's why I couldn't remember anything when I woke up."

Alice sighed as smiled at jasper again.

"But my premonitions were also intensified and my first vision was of Jasper Whitlock becoming my mate and of a happy future with the Cullen family."  
>Alice looked everyone in the eye and smiled.<p>

"Bella and I are the only two people who had escaped James."

Bella and Alice nodded while everyone else either grimaced or made a funking noise.

"Unlike most of my adoptive family members, I developed a conscience on my own, which kept me from feeding on humans, though my success was sporadic. Knowing that Jasper and I would join the Cullen family in the future, I started practicing a "vegetarian" lifestyle while waiting for Jasper to show up."

Alice paused again and looked over at Charlie and I.

"You already know his part but I will tell you my side."

We nodded.

"In 1948, I waited for him to arrive at an empty diner in Philadelphia, by now my self-control was comparable to the other Cullens'. I was very excited when he finally arrived, and Jasper reciprocated my feelings very quickly. In 1950, we joined the Cullens' coven and got married a short time after. I of course have come to love everyone in my adopted family."

She smiled at Carlisle and Esme then Emmett and Rosalie then to Edward, Bella and Nessie.

She saved Jasper for last.

"My family."

He shook her head and laughed softly.

"But grew increasingly fond of Edward, who understands the burden of my supernatural talent."

She said that as she lightly kicked Edward in the side.

Nessie having moved again was on Bella's lap, laughed at Edward.

"Ok so that was everyone's stories. We will be heading out now and if you have any questions just ask Edward or Bella."

Alice said this and Edward and Bella nodded.

"Oh before we go I need to say something."

Emmett laughed.

Everyone looked over at him, which he took to go ahead.

"Alice has many names."

Alice punched him in the arm but he continued talking after flinching.

"Let's see Shortie by Jacob, Little Freak by Edward, Frightening Little Monster by Jasper."

"Emmett!" Everyone shouted at him.

He shrugged and waved before he walked out the front door.

Carlisle, Esme, Rosalie, Jasper and Alice all said their goodbyes before following Emmett.


	10. Chapter 9

Chapter Twenty-Eight: Twilight Part One

Now Jacob was sitting on the floor where Edward had been sitting and Edward and Bella were back on the couch.

Little Nessie was currently curled up asleep on Edward's lap.

I'm surprised she has slept so long.

Sue had come down stairs when the other Cullen's left, she was only down long enough to say she was working on something and to get a glass of water.

I looked over at the clock it was only 4:30.

Nessie's nap was taking a long time; maybe she was up during the night or something.

Edward took a breath and began talking.

"I said I would finish my story and I will but Bella and I are going to combine it as we go alone."

Charlie and I nodded.

"By 2005, I had attended several colleges and universities, earned two medical degrees and studied several subjects. With my natural parents both passed away, I inherited the Masen house in Chicago, and about every 50 years, I would inherit my family fortune from myself, pretending to be a new heir."

Charlie raised his eyebrows but said nothing.

"I was rather depressed, sullen and brooding, and my family notices it. They knew I was missing something from my life, even though I didn't know."

I shifted my weight so I was sitting on both my feet.

Oh my gosh I hate this couch.

Edward smiled at Bella and kissed the side of her head.

"What I am about to tell you is kind of hard but please don't judge me until I tell you everything."

Charlie gave Edward a weird look but nodded like I did.

"I myself have a power like Alice and Jasper. But it's a little more disturbing." Edward sighed.

"I can read minds."

Charlie and I both gasped and looked at Edward and then to Bella.

I began stuttering words of nothing but decided to stop trying to speak.

"You can what!?" Charlie almost shouted, keeping his voice low so he wouldn't wake Nessie.

Edward smiled.

"I will get to that detail later but yes I can read minds. Everyone's except Bella."

I went to say something the same time Charlie did but Edward raised his hand up to stop us.

"We will get to all of this." Charlie sighed and he and I nodded our heads once again.

Edward cleared his throat and began talking again.

"When Isabella Marie Swan moved to town, I immediately felt very frustrated by my inability to read her thoughts."

I collected my thoughts as quickly as I could and then I cocked my head; listening.

"I was forced to listen to everyone else's thoughts about Bella to find out what I could about her. Then I realized that all the boys at the school and elsewhere already liked her."

Bella shook her head.

"And I didn't notice the attraction I held."

Charlie moved to sit even more forward.

"Bells..." He started and then shook his head.

Edward chuckled before he spoke again.

"Anyways, I felt and still feel very, very protective of her. Back then I tried desperately to rationalize my feelings for her."

Edward smiled at Bella, kissing her lightly on the top of her head.

"Everything about her made my heart melt. I lusted over her overwhelmingly attractive scent at first. Her silent mind drove me mad. I wanted to know what she thought of me and I wanted to know her."

Charlie shifted his weight.

"When Bella was forced to sit next to me in Biology and I first smelt her blood. I insanely wanted to kill her, and I thought about massacring the entire class as well."

Bella chuckled, bringing me out of my foggy thoughts.

She thought that was funny?

I looked over at Jacob, but he was fast asleep; his head hung back against the arm of the sofa.

The good sofa.

"I couldn't figure out how you could hate me so fast."

Oh that's what she was laughing about.

Bella giggled quietly and Edward smiled softly at Bella; placing his large hands on bell as cheek; which she immediately leaned into the touch.

"Never, love."

Then why did he want to kill the whole class and Bella? I thought to myself.

Edward shook his head.

"No Renee. Her blood called to me more than anything else."

I gasped.

Oh my gosh.

He read my mind.

Cool!

Oh he can read my mind!

Oh he can hear me right now.

How do I turn my brain off?!

Edward laughed and shook his head.

"So you are the only one that didn't kill his singer?" Charlie asked Edward.

Edward nodded.

Charlie gasped again.

"Wait you sucked the venom out of her! How did you stop?"

I gasped as well; understanding Charlie's question.

Edward shuddered.

"I was afraid I wasn't going to be able to stop. But I loved Bella so much I found the will and as soon as I tasted the morphine, that Carlisle had injected her with, I stopped."

Charlie smiled and nodded.

I was speechless.

"Okay back to that day; right after leaving the school, I left for Denali, where the only other vegetarian coven lives, to avoid causing disappointment to myself and to my parents, in particular, Carlisle."

Charlie nodded in understanding.

"A week later, I returned after some persuasion from Tanya, the leader of the coven in Denali, with my family being extremely protective of me, watching for any signs of danger."

Bella squeezed Edward's thigh.

"I was very miserable that week." Bella said softly.

Edward nodded and said something that I didn't catch.

"At the time, not wanting to leave a bad memory to Bella, I introduced myself to her in Biology, and I was fascinated by her blood and by the fact that I can't read her mind; and because of that, I wasn't quick to dismiss her like I would any other human."

I cocked my head to the side in question.

"Bella is very observant. Noticing every little thing."

I nodded; kind of understanding.

"She answered all of my questions in different ways than I thought she would."

Edward continued.

"She called herself an 'Open Book'."

I snorted out a laugh than waved at him to continue.

Edward smiled.

"Oh and due to Bella's uncanny ability to attract accidents and danger on a daily base, I found and still do find myself often...protecting her from various unlikely calamities and found myself growing even more extremely protective of her. To the point of me even admitting to her that I sometimes go too far in order to keep her safe."

Jacob laughed and Bella lightly kicked him in the side, causing him to stop.

I had thought Jacob was asleep!

I shook my head.

Edward smirked and this time Bella began talking.

"You remember when dad called you and said I was almost hit by a car?" She asked me.

How could I forget?!

I nodded.

"Well it was very slippery. It had snowed the night before."

Edward took Bella's hand.

"I paused after I got out of my truck and saw that Charlie had put snow chains on my tires and well I got a little emotional even more loved and cared for."

Bella paused and smiled at Charlie.

"I never did thank you dad. Thank you."

Charlie returned the smiled and nodded.

"I then noticed three things at once. One Edward was standing across the lot by the Volvo with a horrified, shocked look on his face."

I sat a bit more forward.

I never did hear the actual truck and van story.

"Two was Tyler Crowley's big, dark blue van was skidding out of control, tires locked and squealing against the brakes; spinning wildly across the ice towards my truck."

Bella took a breath.

"And three it was going to hit the back corner of my truck, right where it was. I was standing right where it was going to impact. I knew I wouldn't be able to move away fast enough. I didn't even have time to shut my eyes. Just before I heard the shattering, whining crunch of the van bending around my truck bed, I was hit. But not in the direction I was expecting."

Charlie's eyes were super wide again.

"My head smacked against the icy asphalt."

Edward looked at Bella, almost apologetic.

"I felt something very solid and somewhat cold pinning me to the pavement. I was laying on the ground behind the tan car I had parked next to."

Charlie leaned even more forward.

"I really didn't have much of a chance to notice anything else, because the van was still coming at me. It had curled gratingly around the end of my truck and, still spinning and sliding, it was about to collide with me again. A very low oath; (I'm not going to say what.)"

Charlie cracked a smile.

"Made me aware that a certain someone was with me, and the voice was impossible not to recognize."

Bella glances between Charlie and I and then looked over ate ward before continuing.

"Two long, perfect white hands shot out very protectively in front of me and the van shuddered to a stop just a foot away from my face."

I inhaled sharply but said nothing.

"The large, long fingered hands fitting providentially into a very deep dent in the side of the van's body. Then his hands moved so fast they blurred. One was suddenly gripping under the body of the van and something was dragging me, swinging my legs around until they hit the tire of the tan car."

Edward shifting Nessie caught my eye.

But then Bella continued.

"I will always remember the awful groaning metallic thud that hurt my ears and the sound of the van settling. The glass popped out onto the asphalt-exactly where, a second ago my legs had been. Edward's shoulders made a deep dent in the tan car's side, which he smoothed out before I could see it."

That all sounded really horrible but I just wished they would have told me simply.

Edward leaned over to Bella and whispered something in her ear.

Bella smiled and rolled her eyes.

"Okay to put it simply, Edward had knocked me out of the way and shielded me from the collision that then ricocheted and came around to hit me again."

Jacob made some kind of noise and Edward and Bella slapped him in unison.

He laughed and muttered an apology.

Bella rolled her eyes.

"I realized that it would have been impossible; physically impossible for a human to cross the distance to me in time. As Edward was four cars away from me and in a split second before the van would have crushed me, he knocked me out of the way. And he held back much less pushed away the huge van with his bare hands. He had lifted the van up and off me even before it came near me."

My eyes widened and I looked over at Charlie who looked to be still in shock.

"You lifted a van off my daughter?!"

Charlie gasped and all at once Bella and Edward started laughing.

"Yes dad, he did." Bella smiled.

Charlie looked Edward in the eye and Edward nodded.

Charlie must have thanked him.

Edward nodded to me, as he answered my unspoken question.

Edward smiled and he began talking.

"Bella confronted me in the hospital, but I dismissed accusations in an unsuccessful attempt to throw her off the trail she was heading down. I said 'you think I lifted a van off you?'"

Charlie laughed and then I finally understood why they laughed a few minutes ago.

"Instead he left me even more suspicious than ever." Bella said, smiling.

"And that was the first night I dreamed of Edward."

Charlie looked a little weirded out but none the less, happy for them.

"And that was the first night I snuck through Bella's window." Edward confessed.

"What?!" Charlie gasped.

"You snuck into my daughter's room? How? When? Why? How often?" Charlie asked it all in one breath.

I dismissed the whole thing I just wanted to know the rest of their story.

Edward smiled nervously at Charlie.

"Yes I did. Through the window. All the time, almost every night. Because I love Bella, I wanted to be near her, I wanted to protect her. The last question is already answered. We can talk about this all later on, but Bella and I were pure on our wedding night I promise."

Charlie took a breath of relief.

Jacob made a noise again and Bella kicked him again.

"After I saved her from Tyler's van, I then refused to speak to her for a long period of time."

Edward paused.

"My mistake."

Edward gazed over at Bella for a moment before continuing.

"But after all the time not speaking to her, the other boys; Mike Newton in particular, thought that nothing was going on between us and they decided to make their moves on her."

Bella groaned quietly and Jacob laughed.

"As I watched them I realized that I was starting to feel jealous of them, but decided to dismiss it. Though, it made me very happy that she turned them all down."

Bella rolled her eyes.

"Of course I turned them down, they weren't you."

Edward smiled back at Bella.

"Plus I was upset you weren't talking to me and I was too busy feeling like you regretted saving me."

Edward shook his head.

"Never a day in my life."

He reached over and kissed the top of her head.

Charlie's movement caught my attention; he leaned all the way back on the couch.

I followed him; resting my back.

Bella smiled at us as Edward began to speak yet again.

"However, after sneaking into her room at night several times to watch her sleep, she said my name and that's when I realized I had fallen deeply in love with her."

Bella's whole face lit up as she smiled brightly at him.

"The next morning after Eric, Tyler and Mike asked me to the 'girls choice' dance, Edward came over to my truck and began talking to me again. He offered to drive me to Seattle; which was my excuse not to go to the dance."

Bella looked lost in her thought.

She shook her head.

"Anyways he said 'I'm tired of trying to stay away from you, Bella.'"

Edward smiled over at Bella again.

"Later that day I was crushed when I didn't see him in the lunch room; he also had said he would see me at lunch."

Bella smirked and looked back to Charlie and I.

"I ended up feeling sick and just got a lemonade and that's when I saw him sitting by himself, waving for me to sit with him. We talked and I told him I was trying to figure out what he was and he said he wished I didn't. He said 'What if I'm not he hero what if I'm the bad guy."

Bella rolled her eyes.

"Anyways we talked more and then he took my bottle cap."

Edward chuckled and reached into his pocket.

He pulled out a little bottle cap.

The lemonade cap!

Jacob rolled his eyes but smiled all the same.

"The bell rang, I got up to go to class but he didn't move. I asked him was he coming and he said 'no, it's healthy to ditch class now and then.':

Charlie raised his eyebrows.

"I went to class, dad. But I shouldn't have."

Charlie leaned forward again.

I crossed my legs and cocked my head.

What?

Never mind.

"It was blood typing."

Charlie gasped and looked at Edward.

I was lost again.

"Mr. Banner pricked Mike's finger and my stomach heaved."

Jacob snorted.

Bella looked cross at him for a moment, then continued.

"I was going to pass out. Mr. Banner sent me to the nurse. He had Mike take me."

Edward grimaced.

"I had Mike stop and I laid down on the damp, cool pavement. It did help a little."

Edward shook his head.

"Well you almost made my heart start to beat again and stop all at once."

Edward shook his head.

"I was listening to a CD in my car when I heard Newton's thoughts. 'Is she going to pass out?' 'What do I do?'. I was about a hundred yards away. Mike was lowering Bella's limp body to the sidewalk. She slumped unresponsively against the wet concrete, her eyes closed, her skin chalky like a corpse. I nearly took the door off the car."

Charlie smiled at Edward.

"I shouted her name but there was no change in her lifeless face when I had called her name. my entire body went colder than ice. I was aware of that stupid Mike's aggravated surprise. I shifted through his thoughts to know what happened to the only thing that mattered in my world; but all he was focused on was his anger at me. I kept thinking if he'd done anything to harm her, I would annihilate him."

Charlie nodded sharply.

I was shocked.

"I had to walk at a human pace but once I got closer to her I could hear her heartbeat. Which eased some of my panic."

Bella rolled her eyes again.

"Edward, love we will be here all night if we go into detail about every little thing."

Edward nodded.

"So I told Mike to leave and I picked up Bella and took her to the nurse myself. It turns out she doesn't faint at the sight of blood but by the smell."

Charlie and I gasped, but we said nothing.

"Long story short, I drove her home and we talked for a while in my car, getting to know each other even more. Not before she asked me to come to First Beach with her and her friends. It was on the Res. and it was also going to be sunny so I couldn't go."

I nodded remembering the treaty.

"So that I'm not talking all night, we will try and make most of this story short and sweet. But again some things we will have to go into detail."

Bella said this looking at Edward and then back to me and Charlie.

Charlie and I nodded.

Bella smiled and began speaking again.

"I go to the beach with the group from school and that's when Jacob Black informed me that the Cullens' are supposedly vampires according to his tribe's legends. However, they are different from other vampires in that they are 'vegetarians', mean, like you already know; drink the blood of animals rather than of humans."

Bella looked over at Jacob.

"With him saying that to me, he broke the treaty, even though no one cared."

Charlie laughed at the look on Jacob's face.

"That night I had nightmares of a wolf and Edward, I was terrified the wolf was going to hurt him. When I woke up, I booted up the computer and I did some research on vampires. Though, nothing made much since. I took a walk and that's when I realized it didn't matter."

Charlie gasped, gapping at Bella but said nothing.

I was too shocked to speak; I much rather just listen.

"Later that week I went shopping with Jessica and Angela. They were looking for dresses for the dance and then we were going to go eat. While they were still shopping I excused myself to go to a bookstore, but it wasn't the type of books I expected. So I continued walking to find a main street, that's when I ran into a group of men."

Edward snarled up his nose and let loose a low, deep growl, causing Charlie and I to jump in mid gasp.

Jacob gasped at what Bella said as well.

"Then I really started looking for a main street. I then realized I wasn't just being followed, I was being herded. I knew they didn't want the twenty and the some odd ones that were in my wallet."

Charlie looked absolutely sick.

Jacob looked at Edward and Bella.

I couldn't really form an actual thought.

Bella took a deep breath before she continued.

"One was getting closer and closer. He started talking to me. I told them to stay back and don't touch me. That's when I saw a car come around the corner. The passenger door swung open and a voice said 'get in'."

Charlie looked at her in total shock.

"I immediately knew who that voice belonged to. It was amazing how instantaneously the choking fear vanished. Amazing how suddenly the feeling of security washed over me. –Even before I was off the street –as soon as I heard his voice. I knew he wouldn't let anything happen to me. I jumped into the seat, slamming the door behind. Even with his crazy driving, I felt utterly safe and completely unconcerned about where we were going."

Bella smiled softly and Charlie took a breath.

I couldn't move.

"Carlisle and I, later took care of the situation and delivered the men to the police station with a note stapled to the leader's shirt collar." Edward said.

Charlie smiled at Edward and took another deep breath.

"After talking a bit and calming Edward down, we met up with Jessica and Angela at the restaurant. They were already done eating, so Edward told them to go ahead and go home. That he would drive me home. Then Edward took me to dinner."

Bella smiled back over at Edward.

"Edward turned down the first table, handed the hostess money and asked for something more private. During dinner we talked a lot, I told him he dazzles people and me."

Bella laughed lightly.

"He was waiting for me to go into shock, which I never did. I was cold and he handed me his jacket. As I slid the jacket on I smelled the most wonderful scent."

Jacob gagged and Bella hit him.

Edward just laughed.

"We talked about how his eyes change color and how it changes his mood. I asked him why he was in Port Angeles. The easiest question and he said 'next'."

Bella glanced over at Edward and he laughed again.

"He told me he could read minds with one exception, then he told me he followed me to protect me."

Charlie looked over at Edward and he nodded.

I was too focused now to think.

"As Edward drove me home, I told him about my new theories of his true nature. I wanted him to divulge more about himself. He merely found them amusing, though he did tell me more of his mind reading abilities and my immunity to it."

Charlie half smiled.

"I asked him if something was wrong with me, if I was a freak. He laughed and said 'I tell you I could read minds and that I hear voices in my head and you're worried you're the freak.'"

Bella laughed out loud again.

"Yeah and then she yells at me for driving fast." Edward said as he chuckled lightly.

"Because you were going over a hundred miles an hour!"

Bella smirked as she said that.

Charlie twitched slightly.

"You like it now." Edward stated.

Bella rolled her eyes.

"Yes, 'NOW!'"

Bella giggled and started her story again.

"Anyways I told him what Jacob told me."

"Trader."

Jacob interrupted, laughing softly.

Bella glanced his way but said nothing to him.

"I told him I knew about vampires and that it didn't matter. We talked about myths and the Quileutes. We also talked about how we felt and he told me it was dangerous. I didn't care."

Edward kissed Bella's head again.

"That night after he dropped me off, I knew three things that were absolutely positive. First Edward was a vampire. Second I knew he thirsted for my blood. And third, I was unconditionally and irrevocably in love with him."

Edward kissed Bella lightly on the lips.

"The next couple days we just talked and asked questions about each other. I told Jessica that Edward had canceled and that we weren't going to Seattle together. I then told Charlie that I was just going to stay home. I was giving Edward and the family no connection to me if the day ended badly."

Jacob rolled his eyes and Edward snorted.

Charlie and I half gasped.

"We formed a deep emotional relationship. He revealed that he had great difficulty being near me due to the unusually appetizing smell of my blood; he must constantly control his thirst. I felt awful that I caused him pain. But despite his desire for my blood, Edward and I fell passionately in love."

Edward kissed Bella on the forehead.

"That day he also took me to our meadow for the first time and showed me what he looked like in the sunlight. He showed me how fast, strong and how dangerous he could be."

Charlie raised his eyebrows but said nothing.

I was hoping for some romance.

"He held me for the first time. Let me trace patterns on his skin. We all but confessed our love to one another."

Bella looked over at Edward.

"So the lion fell in love with the lamb."

Edward said softly.

"What a stupid lamb."

Bella smiled up at him.

"What a sick, masochistic lion."

Edward chuckled.

There we go.

That was romance.

"He then took me running for the first time."

Edward and Bella laughed at the shared memory.

"Then he and I shared our first kiss."

Edward kissed Bella on the lips.

Just a peck but it was still a kiss.

"On the way back home he tells me a little about each member of the family and more importantly about him. He also told me he has been sneaking into my room at night and that I talk in my sleep."

Charlie grumbled something under his breath.

"That night and every other night I wanted him there."

Jacob fake gagged and Edward and Bella smacked him in unison.

"I told him I loved him during the night and his response was 'You are my life now. He later told he loved me too."

"I love you."

Edward whispered loudly.

"I love you more Edward."

Edward rolled his eyes.

"Impossible."

"Enough with the gooey-ness! Do it later when I'm asleep!"

Jacob snarled.

Edward and Bella laughed.

"Edward invited me over to his house to meet the family, who, except for Rosalie, immediately took a great liking to me. Edward played my lullaby for me on his piano for the first time."

Edward hummed and pulled Bella closer to him.

"Alice then invited us both to play baseball with them. Edward and I went back and I told Charlie about Edward and I's plans that night and Charlie met Edward formally. Then we were off to 'play' baseball."

Edward grimaced.

"Edward took me to the field, but some unexpected guests show up: James, Laurent, and Victoria who were nomadic vampires."

Edward growled as did Jacob.

Charlie's eye did its twitch again.

"James caught my scent and decided to hunt me for sport, as tracking was his obsession. He was fascinated also by Edward's protectiveness of mere a human."

Bella sighed.

"You know most of the next from me telling you earlier."

Charlie leaned forward to rest his elbows on his knees, my stomach was in my throat again.

"After some ideas from Emmett, Alice, and I; Edward allowed them to try to use my plan. I convinced Charlie that I was leaving town, and then Alice and Jasper took me to hide in Phoenix."

I felt my heart in my throat along with my stomach for the umpteenth tonight.

"Edward tries to lead James away, but loses his trail."

Edward shook his head.

"Alice told me how to become vampire, against Edward's wishes."

Charlie half smiled.

Why wouldn't Edward want her to know that?

Never mind.

"Like I said I will make this short since I know you know this part. James tricked me into coming to the old ballet studio with the sound of mom's voice, where he bites my wrist and almost transformed me into a vampire. But the family rushed to my aid and Edward managed to drain the venom out of my system before it was too late. They destroyed James, though the other vampires in his coven, Victoria and Laurent, ran and survived. He then lifts me up and carried me out of the burning building."

Edward shifted Nessie to one arm again and pulled Bella closer.

"I first thought she was dead and I went crazy with pain and guilt."

Bella reached up and kissed Edward lightly.

"At the hospital, he tried to talk me into moving to Florida to live with mom, in order to 'protect' me from his world, but I talked him out of the horrible idea."

Charlie snapped up to look at Edward.

Edward flinched and bowed his head; he raised his head a bit and nodded.

Charlie sat back with a groan and crossed his legs.

Edward nodded his head again and then shook his head 'no'.

What was going on?

Bella looked a little upset she was out of the loop also.

"Anyways I spent the time in that hospital with Edward constantly by my side. That's where he told me that Alice had seen a vision of me becoming a vampire."

I gasped and Charlie nodded.

"I told him I'm never betting against Alice."

Charlie let loose a throaty chuckle.

"However, Edward was very determined to keep me human, despite my own will to become a vampire."

I cocked my head to the side, thinking 'why'."

Edward leaned his head closer to Bella and whispered something to her.

"I wanted to spend forever with him."

Bella stated, like the answer was completely obvious.

Edward must have told her what I was thinking.

Jacob looked up at them and smiled.

Edward nodded and gently handed him little Nessie.

Jacob cradled her to his chest as she slept.

Bella and Edward smiled at them and Bella continued.

"After we returned to Forks; two months after James's demise, Edward takes me to our prom, much to my dismay, angry protests and my broken leg."

Bella turned to glare at Edward.

Jacob snorted a low chuckle.

Bella then turned her glare to him.

"And Jacob here showed up at the prom, asking for a dance and once we were dancing he said his dad sent him over to tell me that quote 'will be watching'."

Jacob tucked his head and buried his face in Nessie's hair.

Charlie laughed at him.

"When Jacob left Edward felt bad because he had made me a promise that he wouldn't let me go that evening and that Jacob ruined his promise."

Charlie laughed again and I could to help but smile.

"Anyways Edward took me back in his arms and we danced some more, before we went outside to one of the gazebos. I  
>Edward wanted me to have a normal human life, in other words saying that he will love me on any condition, mortal or not."<p>

Charlie looked over at Edward again, smiling.

Edward nodded.

I officially hated these silent conversations.

"He resolved that he wasn't going to change me into a vampire. By the end of prom we put our arguments aside to enjoy the evening, but I knew the conversation is not over."

Charlie leaned back again with a groan.

"It was very far from over."

I smiled softly, knowing how stubborn Bella is.

"Our summer together was amazing. We spent every moment together we could. We had set a boundary. Well Edward did."

Charlie looked kind of squeamish and I just wanted details, but by the last sentence I knew there were none.

"Edward told me hundreds of times how much he loved me and I told him too; how he is my entire world."

Jacob grumbled something.

But he was ignored.

"He told me that vampires only mate once and that's for life. I was it for him and I knew he was it for me."

Jacob shifted Nessie and leaned his head back against the armrest.

"Alice and I became like this."

Bella crossed her fingers together to prove her point.

"I kept begging Edward to change me before my birthday, I wanted to be 17 with him forever. He said he wouldn't change me and then the night before my birthday I had an awful nightmare."


	11. Chapter 10

Chapter Thirty-One: New Moon Part One

Edward wrapped his arms tightly around Bella and pulled her on his lap.

Jacob stretched his long legs out I front of him and curled Nessie into his chest.

"My nightmare was where I was with who I believed to be Grandma Marie, but then it turned out to be myself."

Bella shuddered and almost gasped, I think.  
>That would be kind of creepy.<p>

"Edward comes to stand at my side in the dream...the nightmare and is just as young and flawless as always."

Bella shook her head.

"Never mind that dream. After school and after Edward persuades me to come over to his house on the evening of my birthday for a party thrown by Alice of course."

Charlie leaned forward and smiled softly at the mention of Alice party planning probably.

Bella shuddered again.

"Before the party Edward and I watched Romeo and Juliet. He said he was jealous of Romeo and I asked why. He said he envied the suicide."

What?!  
>"Why?!" Charlie asked my question.<p>

"It was something I had to think about once because I nearly lost my mate, my love of my life. I knew from when Carlisle tried to end himself that it's not an easy thing to do. I don't even know how many time and different things he did when he first found out what he had become. But anyways I knew I would have to provoke the Volturi. "

Charlie's eyes widened.

"Who exactly is the Volturi? You guys mentioned them before but not much more." Charlie asked, his voice shook a little.

"I will tell you all about the Volturi in a while but you don't provoke the Volturi and live."

Charlie nodded and my breath left my throat.

Bella takes a sharp breath in and make an irritated and disgusted sound.

Edward looked at her apologetically before he continued.

"The events of my leaving began after the movie, when we went over to my house for the party that Alice had planned."

Charlie made a funny noise and Edward looked down.

"During the birthday party I accidentally got a paper cut while unwrapping a present."  
>Bella said this time.<p>

Charlie gasped and sat up straighter.

My spine chilled once again.

"Jasper tried to attacked me, Emmett and others were holding him back while Edward knocked me behind him in an attempt to get me away from Jasper; in the process of defending me, he accidentally threw me into a table filled with crystal, which resulted in me getting a deep cut from my wrist to my elbow. Which forced Emmett, Alice, Rosalie, Jasper, a very worried Edward and an apologetic Esme to leave the room."

Charlie leans forward again and rest his elbow on his knees.

"Carlisle stitched me up and told me about why Edward didn't want to change me. That Edward believed he didn't have a soul, which is ludicrous."

Charlie nodded in agreement as did I.

"But Bella eventually convinced me I do indeed have a soul."

Bella smiled brightly.

"The most beautiful soul."

Jacob shifted Nessie again and leaned back against the arm of the couch.

Edward smiled and kissed Bella's forehead, then he continued.

"Jasper's instinctive hunger for Bella's blood reminded me of the continual danger our relationship puts her in."

Bella rolled her eyes.

"I never blamed Jasper. But over the next couple of days Edward distanced himself from me and even though my injuries were not life-threatening, at all! Edward decided that I would be safer without him, his family, and his 'dangerous' lifestyle, so he deceived me into thinking that he did not love me any longer and leaves Forks with the family."

My chest tightened at the memory of Bella after he left.

Edward flinched and tucked his head again.

I felt bad for thinking it but I just happened.

"It was a misguided attempt to protect Bella, I convinced her that I  
>didn't want her anymore and I left her in the forest; in sight of this house."<p>

Edward said in an almost lifeless voice. Bella caresses his cheek with the backside of her hand.

"But I tried to find him in the woods, but he was already gone. That night, Sam Uley tracked me down and takes me home."

Edward shivered and hugged Bella tighter to him.

"I'm sorry, love."

Bella shook her head calmly.

"It's over. I love you, Edward."

He mumbled something back and she kissed him on the head.

"However, when I returned to my room, I realized that I had nothing that reminded me of Edward and I sunk into deep depression. Not only did I lose Edward; my everything. I lost my best friend."

Jacob looked up and Bella kicked him in the side, careful to avoid Nessie.

"I meant Alice, Jacob. Anyways I lost my best friend. My other parents, my siblings. My family. I lost my whole future."

I sniffed away a tear away.

Charlie gasped and seemed really upset.

"One week after Edward's departure, you guys decide it would be better for me to move to Jacksonville to live with mom. That would have been the worst thing for me and when you began to pack and I threw tantrums at you, expressing my anger and pain for the first time since they left. After that, I just tried to act as normal as possible to keep you guys from making me move away from Forks, but my depression doesn't relent at all."

Edward kissed Bella again.

"I moved away with my family, leaving my only love heartbroken and depressed, I couldn't breathe without my Bella. It was so difficult to live without her, becoming severely depressed at the prospect of an infinitely long and meaningless life. I would hunt or leave my room at all. Emmett had to drag me to hunt and even then I didn't."

Bella narrowed her eyes at him and shook her head.  
>She whispered something to him and kissed his cheek.<p>

"Trying to keep my mind occupied and not being able to live with three other mates couples I left the family up in Alaska and I tried to hunt down Victoria, but lost her trail somewhere in South America. That's where I stayed for five months, alone in an abandoned attic."

Charlie shook his head.

"You were in the same boat as Bella."

Edward nodded and Bella sighed.

"Edward why don't you tell them about the Volturi, while I make everyone something to eat."

Edward nodded and Bella went into the kitchen.

I looked over at the clock and saw that it was just 5:00pm.

We had a long night ahead of us.


	12. Chapter 11

Chapter Thirty-Two: Volturi

"Jacob please take Nessie and put her in Bella's old room. She was up all night last night."

Jacob nodded and gracefully stood up and walked up the stairs.

"She normally sleeps through the night but Emmett was watching her last night and wouldn't let her sleep."

Edward rolled his eyes and shifted his weight.

Jacob walked back down the stairs and took his seat back on the floor.

"Since you asked about the Volturi I will tell you. But it's not a very good tale."

Charlie shifted to sit back and cross his legs.

I crossed my legs as well.

"The Volturi aren't supposed to be the villains. They are the foundation of our peace and civilization. Or how they claim their selves to be. But in reality they are nothing more than big bullies."

Jacob nodded sharply.

"The Volturi are the largest and most powerful coven of vampires. They enforce the laws of the vampire world. They are equivalent of royalty in the vampire world, the Volturi consists of five core members: Aro, Caius, Marcus, Aro's wife Sulpicia, and Caius's wife Athenodora. Marcus's wife (and Aro's sister) Didyme was also a member before she was killed by her own brother."

I gasped and Charlie shook his head.

"Aside from these head members, it also consists of a collection of powerfully imposing vampires, known as the 'Volturi guard'."

Edward continued.

"The members of the active guard include Chelsea, Jane, Alec, Felix, Demetri, Heidi, Afton, Santiago, Corin, Renata and 17 other members. Most members of the guard have extra abilities. Aro has tried to get Alice, Bella and myself."

Jacob growled and Edward nodded his head.

"I know you have questions but all will be answered."

Charlie and I nodded.

"Like I said the Volturi act as the unofficial royalty in the world of vampires, and are an incredibly influential coven. They are also considered 'nighttime patrons of the arts', because of their inability to sleep, they study the arts at night. The Volturi act as guardians, keeping the secret society of vampires hidden from the human world as needed."

Edward shook his head.

"They often send their agents to travel from Volterra to destroy overzealous covens from exposing vampires through mass eradication of every vampire (and any humans) present."

"What?!" Charlie gasped.

I felt my body shaking.

Edward shook his head again.

"I will explain as we go."

Charlie and I nodded.

"The coven has existed for over 3000 years, and is the largest coven in existence, followed by the Olympic, the Denali, and the Mexican covens. Throughout the centuries, the Volturi have established and enforced a number of laws that all vampires are expected to obey or get sentenced to death penalty if they don't. There aren't many of them, and they mainly concern the secrecy surrounding the existence of vampires."

Charlie moved to sit up against the arm rest.

"The laws are not written down; to write them would in itself be an infraction. Instead, the laws are passed by word of mouth from vampire to vampire. Hunts must be inconspicuous, with victims unlikely to be missed; their remains must be disposed of and territory must be changed often."

I moved to sit against the other arm rest and pulled my feet underneath me.

"Incapable of self-control, and therefore a threat of exposure, immortal children are not to be created. Such creation is the ultimate taboo and punishable by death to both child, the creator, those who defend the child and those who know of its existence."

Jacob snorted and Edward gave him a knowing look.

"Dealing with Children of the Moon, except for the purpose of extermination, is prohibited."

Edward looked towards the kitchen for a second and said something to quiet for me to hear and then continued.

"False witness, regardless of intent, is punishable by death."

Edward's eyes shown as he said that.

"Hunting is forbidden in Volterra, the town of residence of the Volturi; their food is brought from outside, sometimes from quite far away."

Charlie shivered and shook his head.

"Attention should not be drawn and vampires should not be noticed in open sunlight. The creator is responsible for his newborn's behavior and teaching of the laws before they can be released on their own. By letting a newborn hunt conspicuously, the penalty will be death both to the newborn and its creator. Even if the newborn is ignorant of the law, his rash acts are still punishable by death."

I was starting to feel really uncomfortable again but Edward smiled over at me and nodded and I felt better.

It was like he was saying 'it's okay'.

"Vampires' interaction with humans must not draw wide attention. If a human becomes aware of them, the vampire at fault would be responsible for silencing that human. This mostly leads to two options: either make the human join the immortals or silence that human permanently."

Chills are back again!

Charlie barely moved.

"Throughout the centuries, many vampires are born after the laws were established, and every vampire was taught of these laws by their creator. Though they think of the laws as an accepted fact, they do not know that it is really the Volturi's scheme to maintain control of the vampire world. To this day, many vampires continue to obey the laws. Like the my family we are obeying, which leads us to move approximately every 6 to 7 years to avoid suspicion in the human world."

Charlie eyes widened and looked at Edward.

Edward shook his head 'no'.

"No Charlie we aren't leaving for a while and we would let you know first. Carlisle is still passing by fine and Bella, Ness and I are staying out of sight for the most part."

Charlie sighed in relief and nodded.

"Like I said before the Volturi was founded by Aro, Caius and Marcus, along with Aro's wife Sulpicia, Caius's wife Athenodora and Marcus's wife Didyme, who was also Aro's sister. The coven originated in Greece and proceeded to gather vampires with useful talents to build up their power, and eventually relocated to Volterra, Italy. When the coven became strong enough, the Volturi usurped control of the vampire world from the Romanian coven, the original ruling coven, and presented the laws of prohibiting vampires from being noticed by humans."

Jacob laughed.

"That's what's wrong with Dracula 1 and Dracula 2."

Edward laughed lightly and nodded.

"After the Romanians were defeated in the century-long war, their next target was the Egyptians, with only two survivors from the demise, Amun and Kebi. Their power increased incredibly after recruiting Jane and Alec; two vampire twins with extremely powerful gifts, and subsequently made the coven untouchable."

Jacob made an noise and Edward snorted too.

"They presented the twins for the first time when the Romanian coven tried to regain control and defeated the army easily with their powers. At one time, Marcus and his wife Didyme grew tired of the coven's warring lifestyle and planned on leaving. Aro was upset by this, but pretended to give them his support; however, Aro later secretly killed Didyme to prevent Marcus from leaving, because he found his brother-in-law's power much more useful than his sister's."

My spine chill returned and Charlie leaned back on his knees.

"Marcus spent a majority of time trying to find the murderer (he never realized it was Aro who did it), when he failed, he became suicidal. At this point, Aro met Chelsea and realized that she had the power to manipulate relationships and used her to keep Marcus loyal to the Volturi. The death of Didyme, however, prompted Caius and Aro to ensure tight security surveillance to their mates."

Jacob stood up and moved over to sit by Edward.

"As Chelsea's power is the key to their civilization, Aro always gives her what she wants (for example, her mate Afton, who is far less skilled than her), but he also uses Corin's gift to keep her from leaving. With Chelsea on their side, they were able to easily recruit other vampires who did not wish to join them (for example, Demetri, Renata and Heidi)."

Charlie cocked his head.

"What about you, Alice and Bella?"

Edward shook his head.

"I will get to that later also."

Charlie nodded.

"The Volturi have ruled the vampire world for 25 centuries by the start of this century. During that time, the coven did a number of things to ensure stability in the world, including outlawing the creation of immortal children, cleaning up after the southern wars in the southern parts of America and creating their own vampires to spread their laws across the world. At some point, Caius was almost killed in a fight with a werewolf."

Charlie raised an eyebrow and I looked over at Jacob.

"Jake isn't what they consider a real werewolf but is a shape shifter only turning into wolves."

Edward explained before returning to the pervious story.

"Becoming terrified of his people's mortal enemies, he pushed the Volturi to hunt them to near extinction in Europe and Asia. Carlisle, at one time, as you already know, came to stay with the coven. The leaders enjoyed his company greatly, but were unable to persuade him to hunt humans instead of animals. Carlisle also tried to teach them values of human life, but to no avail either."

Charlie smiled as did Edward.

"The four were painted by Italian painter Francesco Solimena, who found their god-like appearances inspiring. Carlisle eventually left the coven after two decades and established his own coven in America. Eleazar also was once part of the Volturi guard, given the task to detect any individual (human or vampire) with a particular gift that might make him useful to the coven, but he eventually left with his mate Carmen. The two later found the Denali coven and joined them."

Charlie cocked his head and asked. "They are your extended family right?"

Edward nodded.

"For all purposes, yes. But not blood related."

Jacob snickered and Edward glared over at him.

Charlie nodded.

"I will explain more about the Volturi as we go along and our own personal experiences with them."

Jacob snorted after Edward said 'experiences'.

By now the entire house spelled absolutely amazing.

Sue came down the stairs and joined Charlie and I on the couch until Bella called us into the dining room.

Jacob went up to get little Nessie and when I walked into the kitchen I gasped.

On the table was an assortment of food.

In the center of the table was a pot of Grandma Swan's stew.

Around the edge was French rolls and steamed potatoes. The bowels and silverware were already set.

Jacob immediately sat down and looked at Bella.

Edward joined Bella and stood by the counter. Charlie and Sue sat next to each other leaving the last chair in between Jacob and Charlie for me.

Nessie was placed on the counter and made a face and looked up at Bella and Edward.

Edward shook his head and Bella smiled softly before picking chunks if meat out of the pot and placed them on Nessie's plate and handed her a roll.

We all served ourselves and my gosh how I have missed Bella's cooking.


	13. Chapter 12

Chapter Thirty-Three: New Moon Part Two

We finished dinner and Sue volunteered to do the dishes, much to Bella and Edward's protests, she won.

We all fell back into the living room.

Jacob took back Nessie upstairs.

Edward and my daughter sat back on the couch and Charlie and I returned to the other couch.

The nasty couch.

Jacob came back down and sat at Bella's feet.

Edward made a low growl noise and Jacob looked up apologizing and scooted over to lean against the armrest.

"So it was about four months later, Charlie threatened to send me back to live with mom in Jacksonville because he was worried about my behavior. I wouldn't read, listen to music or anything anymore. I screamed in my sleep and barely got any rest. My entire life and world was numb."

Charlie shook his head and looked over at Bella.

She gave a small smile and patted Edward on the knee.

"To appease my father, I tried to engage in normal, teenage-like behavior. I invited my 'friend' Jessica Stanley to go to Port Angeles with me for dinner and a movie. I knew I wouldn't have to talk much or show emotion with Jessica."

Edward shook his head that time.

"Jessica is not a very good friend."

Everyone nodded, excluding me, in agreement.

"While we were there, I carelessly approached four men standing outside a bar. I felt a rush of pure adrenaline and I heard Edward's voice, angry and concerned. I took another step closer and that resulted in me hearing Edward's voice inside my head again, warning me to turn around."

My eyes had to be huge again.

Charlie just shook his head over and over again.

Edward and Jacob did the same.

"Jessica wouldn't talk to me without the 'she's crazy' tone."

Jacob rolled his eyes.

"I wonder why!" Jacob muttered.

Edward glared at him.

"That night I felt the same nightly pain, like a huge hole punched through my chest making it hard to breathe; only this time the numbness was gone, so the pain was worse. Hearing Edward's voice caused me to come out of the lifeless haze, and my senses woke up again. I still had to hold myself tightly, to keep myself together."

Edward pulled Bella on his lap and hugged her tight.

"I realized that I didn't need to keep my promise to Edward anymore. I wanted to be reckless and stupid. I realized that whenever I put myself in a dangerous situation, I could hear Edward's voice with perfect clarity."

Jacob and Edward looked at her and shook their heads again.

"With this discovery in mind, I sought out Jacob and convinced him to fix two motorcycles I found, one for me and one for him and to teach me how to ride."

Charlie groaned and leaned back, crossing his legs.

"Jacob and I became best friends, we found all the parts we needed at junk yards and other places. I used the money I saved for college. I knew I wouldn't leave Forks ever. We joked around a lot too. While I still missed Edward terribly, Jacob was my rock and my own personal ray of sunshine. My safe harbor."

Jacob smiled up at Bella.

Edward still looked pained and upset.

Charlie had his eyes closed and was shaking his head yet again.

"I met Quil and Embry. Then Leah, Seth, Sue and Harry. Nobody was wolves yet and it was simple."

Jacob laughed.

Everyone looked at him but said nothing.

"I thought I needed something familiar, I went to the main house, the Cullen's house. I felt nothing that I thought I would. I thought I would feel loved, safe, peace; but all I felt was hysteria. It was empty just like my heart. What I longed for wasn't there. I didn't know where to look."

Edward pulled Bella closer as she continued.

"Anyway back to the bikes, we set up a schedule to fit in working on the bikes and homework and to just hang out."

Jacob smiled brightly again. "We had to keep the 'rents happy."

Bella laughed and nodded.

"Next couple days at school Mike was being Mike. He asked me out to see a movie and I told him. 'I don't date,' which was and is very true. Anyways I wiggled out of Mike's questions and the next day Jake calls and said 'I believe we have a date' which meant the bikes were done."

"I got to Jake's house and he loaded the bikes in the back of my truck with ease. We drove out of town to a secluded place to ride the motorbikes in private."

Edward glared down at Jacob and shook his head slowly.

I looked over at Charlie but he was staring at Jacob too.

"On the way; I was driving slow enough to see four figures on the cliffs edge and I freaked out when one of them threw themselves off the edge."

Charlie fidgeted next to me until he was in weird position.

I knew I couldn't sit that way if I tried.

"Jake said they were just cliff diving. When Jacob said it was a rush, I knew I wanted to go. Anyways after Jake and I made a deal about the cliffs and that we would go."

Edward grimaced.

"He told me about the La Push gang and how Embry joined them, he told me how Sam was treating him different and watched him. He said how Embry was avoiding him and Quil and then showed up with Sam and the same thing happened with Paul before. Jacob seems worried and frightened."

Jacob huffed.

Edward placed his head back on Bella's shoulder.

"Anyways when we pulled up to the clearing, I realized that Jacob liked me as more than just a friend. That made me feel really horrible and uncomfortable and I knew I could never return his feelings."

Bella shook her head.

"Never mind that now. So Jake taught me where the clutch was, where the brakes were; but not that brake the other brake, the gearshift the throttle and blah blah blah. I kept hitting the wrong stupid brake."

Jacob chuckled quietly, earning a glare from Charlie and Edward.

"I was terrified but I reminded myself I have already been through the worst thing imaginable."

Edward grimaced and pulled Bella closer, whispering things to her.

"Then he said the clutch was a grenade and not to let go!"

Grenade!?

What?!

I glanced over at Jacob then to Edward.

"He kick started it and then told me to try the throttle and then he said slowly release the clutch he wanted me to let go of the grenade!"

She let go of the grenade!?

It has to be a figure of speech.

Duh.

Edward chuckled and nodded his head.

"I began to release the clutch and a voice that wasn't standing right next to me said 'this is reckless and childish and idiotic Bella.' The velvet voice fumed. It worked, Edward's voice was back."

Charlie made a noise but didn't say anything.

"But I released the clutch and the bike stalled and fell on me. I got back up and went to try again when I heard Edward's precious voice again. The voice in my head snarled against the growl of the motorcycle and then I was flying and that was only first gear!"

Edward's grimace came back and Bella continued.

"I went to put it into second and Edward's voice was back and it distracted me from the road and that's when I noticed the slight curve and Jacob didn't teach me how to turn."

Charlie sighs deeply, shaking his head.

"I reached for the brake. The wrong brake and anyways I crashed the bike and it fell on me and dragged me until I hit a rock I tried to lift my head but I couldn't something was in the way and I couldn't see anything my face was buried in the moss."

Charlie shook his head again.

Edward made a growling noise.

Jacob shook his head, but unlike Charlie, he had a soft smirk to his face.

"I was dizzy and confused. I heard Jake coming and then the bike was off of me. I was thrilled, it worked and I wanted to do it again. But Jake said I had to go to the hospital. My forehead was gashed and bleeding badly. I apologized and he said 'why are you apologizing for bleeding?' He handed me his shirt to stop the bleeding, while he put the bikes in the back of the truck."

I don't think Charlie's head, has stopped shaking; disapproving.

Edward kissed Bella's forehead.

"I talked him into taking me home so I could change clothes and not tip off the hospital, so they wouldn't tell Charlie."

Charlie grumbled something and crossed his arms.

"Jacob disconnected the foot brake that night."

I couldn't help but smile at the way Bella said that.

"After several days of accidents and injuries, Jacob and I decided to try hiking, I wanted to see the meadow again. "

Edward smiled and pulled Bella on his lap again.

"Our meadow."

Bella smiled and nodded.

"We decided to go hiking the next day and then go every Sunday after that. We couldn't find it by the way."

Jacob laughed lightly and shook his head 'no'.

"Days seemed to trip along a little faster than before. It was school, work and Jacob it was an effortless pattern. Charlie was happy I wasn't completely miserable anymore but that wasn't all that true and I couldn't fool myself. _**I was like a lost moon-my planet destroyed in some cataclysmic, disaster-movie scenario of desolation-that continued, nevertheless, to circle in a tight little orbit around the empty space left behind, ignoring the laws of gravity."**_

Edward kissed Bella's hear again.

She said something to him and he nodded.

"I was better with my bike which meant few bandages to worry Charlie but it also meant Edward's voice began to fade. I quietly panicked. I threw myself into finding the meadow. I racked my brain to think of something else that was adrenaline producing."

Uh-oh!

Here we go again.

"I didn't keep track of the days. There was no reason too. I had to live in the present. No past fading. No future impending. Jacob brought up the date on one of our homework days. 'Happy Valentine's day' and he handed me a box of conversation hearts and said 'are you going to be my valentine since u didn't get me a 50c box of candy.' I was very uncomfortable but I then heard the teasing behind it."

Edward sent a slight glare Jacob's way.

"He asked if we were going to ride bikes on Friday and I said no I had been promising the cafeteria gang to go to a movie and I invited Jacob and Quil too. Mike and I organized a group to go to the movies, we planned on taking Mike's suburban but it wasn't necessary. Jess and Lauren didn't want to go cause I was going  
>Eric and Kate already had plans. Lauren got to Tyler and Conner before Mike could and Quil got himself grounded."<p>

Charlie shook his head, slightly smiling.

I found it kinda funny too!

"So then it was me, Angela, Ben and of course Jacob and Mike."

Jacob laughed out loud this time and Edward smiled too.

"When I got home from school I was excited to see that Jacob had finished his rabbit! Then Mike pulled up acrossed the street and him and Jake had a stare down."

Wahwahwah!

I could just imagine a cowboy hold up kind of thing.

"The phone rang in the house. I thought it would be Charlie but it was Ben; Angela was sick with the stomach flu. So it was just the three of us."

Wahwahwah!

"Jacob drove. Mike was in the back seat. Mike asked Jacob 'doesn't the radio work?' And I was shocked when Jake said 'yea, but Bella doesn't like music.' I never told him that!"

Edward frowned again.

"The movie was gory and Mike wasn't watching it and Jake was sniggering. It was a really ridiculous movie from being unrealistic. Jake and I spent time laughing at it. Mike and Jake claimed the armrests on either side of me. Both their hands were rested lightly, palms up, in an unnatural looking position. Like steel bar traps, open and ready. Jake had a habit of grabbing my hand whenever he wanted but in the dark movies with Mike watching had a much different significance  
>so I folded my arms tightly acrossed my chest."<p>

Edward smiled and kissed her in the head again.

"They had their hands like this!" Bella said, laughing; she demonstrated with her own hands.

It was pretty funny.

But it looked uncomfortable.

"About halfway through the movie Mike moved his hand, finally and leaned forward to put his head between his knees. Mike was sweating and then darted out of the room. Jake and I followed and Jake followed him into the boy bathroom and was back in seconds."

Jacob laughed again and muttered something about a marshmallow.

"He called Mike a marshmallow!"

Oh.

"While Mike was vomiting, Jake and I sat on a bench. Jake shifted to put his arm over my shoulder and I protested and leaned away."

Edward glared at Jacob again.

Bella placed one of her hands on Edward's knees.

"He dropped his arm not looming, bothered by the minor rejection. He then took my hand and held it there. I didn't want to do this; not just now, not ever all I had was my friendship with Jacob Black and he was determined to ruin everything."

The glare from Edward deepened.

"He grinned down at me. 'That's okay you know. As long as you like me best. And you think I'm good-looking sort of. I'm prepared to be annoyingly persistent.' I told him. 'I'm not going to change.' His face softened and all teasing left. 'It's still the other one, isn't it?' I cringed and nodded. He knew not to say Edward's name just like about the music."

Edward's glare turned back into a very sad frown.

"I told Jake not to waste time on me. That him holding my hand means something different to him than it did to me. And he said 'that's my problem isn't it.' I told him 'don't forget it.' He made a joke until he noticed my bite mark and he traced the outside of it. I made an excuse that I don't know where all my scars came from, when he asked me. That's when Mike came out of the bathroom. Long story short Jacob handed Mike a bucket and put him in the backseat of the rabbit."

Charlie groaned and grimaced at the idea I guess.

"It was wrong to encourage Jacob. Pure selfishness. It didn't matter that I'd tried to make my position clear. If he felt any hope that this could become more than friendship than I hadn't been clear enough. I was empty and broken. Yet I didn't send him away regardless. I was too selfish I needed his friendship"

Edward whispered something else to Bella and she nodded as did Jacob.

I really wish they would talk louder.

I feel all left out!

"I drove Mike home in his SUV and Jake picked me up and drove me home. Jake was super sick when we got back to Charlie's. His skin was on fire. But before he left he told me that he would always be there and he wouldn't let me down. It might not help but he wanted me to know."

Edward and Jacob shared a look and a couple whispered words.

Bella just continued where she was stopped.

"I wished Jacob was my brother so we didn't have this problem. I didn't want to use Jake. But it happened. I was broken beyond repair and I needed Jacob now. I needed him like a drug. He was my crutch. I didn't want to hurt him. But it was unavoidable. He was my best friend I would always love Jacob and it would never be enough."

Jacob looked up and smiled at Bella; whispering something else.

Bella smiled sweetly at him.

She patted him on his head and laughed.

Edward joined her.

"Anyways, I told him to call me when he got home but he didn't, I had to call and Billy said he was there but he was really sick. I offered to come down and help but he said no and the line disconnected."

How rude!

"The next morning around 4am I was sick and sprinted to the bathroom and that's where I stayed all day long. After 24hours I was fine and I called Jacob and he was really short with me I told him to call me when he felt better and he said to wait for his call. Jacob never called."

Wahwahwah!

"Jacob refused to answer any of my calls and asked me not to come to his house anymore."

Charlie glared down at Jacob, shaking his head slowly.

Bella, Edward and Jacob's heads shot up and looked towards the stairs.

Bella stood up and walked gracefully up the stairs.

A few minutes later Bella returns and nodded at something Edward whispered.

"Nessie just wanted me for a minute."

Bella said as she seated her self back down next to Edward.

"And anyways, I wasn't handling alone well. The hole in me chest was worse than before. All the progress I made to the hole was gone. Given it wasn't a lot a progress it was some, but it was gone now. I know Charlie was starting to worry again."

Edward wrapped his arm around Bella again, pulling her close.

"I went looking for the meadow again.  
>By myself."<p>

Edward glanced at her from the corner of his eye.

"I knew Charlie wouldn't approve. But when I found it, it wasn't the same, wasn't what I was looking and hoping for. The memories there, were too happy it made it painful."

Edward squeezed her to him.

I never knew she was this bad.

Bella sighed and continued.

"I was very lucky I went alone, I was a wreck and then I saw someone I didn't think I would see again."

Charlie sat up a little further and cocked his head towards Bella.

I followed Charlie's position.

"Laurent."

A snaring growl came from Jacob and Edward.

I don't know who started it but it rumbled throughout the room.

Bella looked down at Jacob and up at Edward, hissing under her breath.

"Be quiet you two! You are going to wake Ness!"

They both immediately calmed down and fell silent.

I let loose a breath I didn't know I was holding.

"I knew I was in trouble when Edward's voice came back; his warning voice and told me to lie and say they still came to visit."

Bella looked up at Edward and placed a hand on his chest.

I think she was calming him.

"Laurent was supposed to be with the Denalis' but he wasn't. Laurent knew that the Cullens' were gone. No matter how much I lied and even if I was good at it, he knew."

Jacob grumbled something and Edward lightly popped him in the side with his foot.

Warning him, I guess.

"Laurent was thirsty; he said he'll kill me quickly, that it would be better than what Victoria had planned for me, that Victoria wanted to torture me, in revenge for Edward killing James. Her mate. A mate for a mate."

Charlie gasped lightly and looked our daughter over, not saying anything.

"Has he crept up on me but he stopped and snapped his head to the left and started to retreat back into the forest. Slowly."

This time I was to lean forward first.

"Out of the forest near the outer side of the meadow came a big black wolf."

Charlie shifted and looked at Jacob.

Just staring at him.

Not saying anything, then he shifted his eyes to look back at Bella.

Jacob yawned.

"That would be Sam." He said, stretching out on the floor.

Bella glanced at him before continuing.

"The 'bear'." She said as she made air quotes.

"I couldn't figure out why a vampire was retreating from a wolf. But Laurent was terrified, his eyes wide; in fear."

Jacob snorted.

"Flanking the wolf on either side were two more."

"Paul and Jared." Jacob said, interrupting Bella.

She glanced down at him again, slightly more annoyed.

"Then flanking the outer two were two more."

"Embry and your's truly." Jacob said, interrupting Bella for the third time.

Bella glared down at Jacob this time.

"Would you knock it off!?" She snapped.

Edward snickered when Jacob cowered in the carpet.

Bella glanced sideways at Edward, he stopped.

"Anyways, they looked like a group of geese flying. They looked like a V."

I leaned back against the stupid, dirty sofa.

"And they were all focused on the vampire."

Charlie leaned even more forward.

"The russet brown, giant horse sized wolf was close enough for me to touch and I innvoentary gasped and jumped back."

Jacob smirked softly, rolling his eyes.

"I wished that Laurent would hurry up and kill me it sounded less painful than the wolves ripping me apart."

Edward made a noise and Bella looked at him, lovingly before continuing.

"The russet wolf looked over at me and had very intelligent eyes."

Jacob puffed up his chest, but it quickly deflated when Bella poked him with her foot.

"I thought of Jacob and was glad he wasn't there."

Jacob chortled briefly.

"Oh I so was!"

Bella just ignored.

"A growl from the leader caused the russet wolf to turn away from me. Laurent ran and the wolves went after him."

"He wasn't to hard to finish off either. Barely put up a fight."

Jacob bragged, rubbing his knuckles of one hand on his chest.

"That's it! Jacob out! Go sit out on the front porch or go home, out of my hearing range. We will never finish with you commenting on everything." Bella snapped again.

Jacob laughed lightly, standing up and walked out the back door.

"Thank you."

You could hear Jacob's answering laugh from the backyard.

Bella rolled her eyes but smiled all the same.

"So I ran back to my truck as fast as I could, thinking Laurent was right behind me. When I got home I told Charlie they weren't bears but wolves."

Charlie nodded, sitting back a little.

But not much.

"I told Charlie I was afraid for Jacob and about the 'cult' and Sam. I was terrified to know that Victoria was coming for me and I was worried for Charlie."

Bella shook her head.

"I went down to La Push the next day and I ran into Quil. I was giving a ride  
>and he told me Jacob started acting like Embry did and that he was scared. He was scared that he was next."<p>

Charlie leaned up a little further.

"I dropped him off and then I saw Jacob and he had changed in more ways than one. Jacob was angry. "

Edward pulled Bella to sit on his lap and he placed his chin on her shoulder.

"He told me we couldn't be friends anymore, that Sam was the good guy and that if I wanted someone to blame I should blame the Cullen's. Or in his words the 'bloodsuckers'."

Bella started to shake lightly, Edward whispered softly in her ear and the shaking stopped.

"Jacob basically rebroked the part of my heart, the very small part of my heart that had begun to heal."

Edward took Bella's other hand and brought it up to his lips.

"I heard Edward's voice telling me that Jacob was dangerous and at that point he was, he was very dangerous. He was shaking and ready to phase; after arguing I went home."

Charlie leaned back down into his knee hugged position.

"I was scared. I was alone again. I lost my best friend now and Victoria was after me."

Edward started whispered against Bella's hand.

Bella turned her head to the side and kissed the side of his face.

"That night, very late ay night. I heard a sound outside my window."

I felt myself gasp.

"It was like fingernails against the glass window. I was sure Victoria had come to kill me, but it was just Jacob. He really scared me, almost gave me a heart attack."

I slumped back down to the couch.

Funny I never realized I sat forward.

"I thought I was done for. I just remembering, I hoped she would stop with me and leave my dad alone."

Charlie shifted again, leaning back onto the sofa with a groan.

"Jake had came to apologize and to keep his promise. He said that he already told me what was going on, and that he couldn't tell me his secrets now. That his secrets were bond. But he said he already told me at first beach. He said to remember the Quileute legends he talked about."

Edward releases Bella's hand and wrapped his arms around her waist.

Bella placed her hand on top of his.

"In a dream that night I saw Jacob turn into a werewolf and I realized that my only human friend isn't human after all."

Bella smiled.

"There was Angela. She was a good friend."

Edward nodded his head, still resting it on my daughter's shoulder.

"Charlie goes out with a group of men to kill the wolves. I go to warn Jacob and to ask if he can try not to be a werewolf."

Edward lets loose a small laugh.

"At first I thought Jake and the rest of them were killing the hikers, then I felt absolutely stupid."

Edward just grinned and kissed the side of her face that he could reach.

"Jacob was relieved that I didn't hate him and he explained to me that the wolves protected people from vampires and that they killed Laurent."

Bella took a deep breath.

"Also that they were trying to catch Victoria. But they didn't know what she was after."

Edward's smile went away.

"When I told Jacob that Victoria was after me, he called a meeting with the wolves. As he did that, I learned that wolves heard one another's thoughts."

Charlie crossed his legs once again.

"So I met the wolf pack and Paul loses control and phases. Jacob phases on the fly and they fight. Jared and Embry take a very shaken up me to Emily's house. Sam's imprint."

"What did happen to Emily. The truth." Charlie asked, stopping Bella from continuing on.

Bella sighed.

"Sam got very angry and he was standing too close when he phased. One of his front paws scratched her."

I gasped and Charlie nodded his head.

"When Jacob, Paul, and Sam returned, they made plans to protect me and Charlie, and to kill Victoria."

Charlie sighed and slumped down against the sofa again.

"I spent most of spring break in La Push. I learned how they all treated each other as family. That the whole wolves and imprints were a family."

Edward smiled slightly as did Bella.

"While the wolves patrolled the area, Jacob told me the good things about being a wolf: the warmth, the super fast healing, the speed."

Charlie smiled a bit too.

"I told Jacob about my scar, about how Edward saved me from James, and about my family's talents. It hurt me to talk about the Cullens. I also felt like I was betraying them. But I knew it would help them kill Victoria."

Edward whispered something and smiled.

Bella nodded her head and returned the smile.

"Anyways, Jacob promised to take me cliff diving for some fun but he ended up having to follow a new trail left by Victoria."

Charlie sat a little bit forward.

Here we go again.

"I was lonely and frustrated and I decided to cliff jump alone. From the highest point."

Edward growled quietly.

Charlie's eyes widened and he shook his head slowly.

I didn't know what to do with myself.

"I heard Edward's voice, telling me 'no'. Then I jumped; the fall was exhilarating, the water was the danger. I was tossed around beneath the surface."

Charlie's leaning forward caught my eye and the look on his face.

Priceless!

"Edward's voice commanded me to keep swimming, keep fighting. I sensed I was going to die and I was happy to have Edward's voice with me at the end; my last thought was, 'goodbye, I love you'."

My heart went to my throat and a gasp made its way out of my mouth.

Charlie looked like someone kicked his puppy.

Before Bella could continue or say anything else, Alice came in from the back door.

Alice smiled brightly over at us and then looked over at Edward and Bella.

Edward nodded slightly to Alice and she quickly disappeared up the stairs and was back in mere seconds holding a beautiful sleeping Nessie.

She looked like a porcelain sleeping angel.

Wait.

Where was she taking her?

"Alice is taking Ness home for a while. Someone will bring her back later." Edward answered my unspoken question.

Man that was going to get some getting used to.

I looked over at the clock and was amazed it was only 6:30.

It's only been an hour since we have eaten!

Gosh.

It was going to be a super long night.

"Oh and Jacob wants to know if he can come inside yet." Alice said, laughing; her tinkering bell voice ringing through the house.

Edward and my daughter joined in the laughter.

Bella nodded her head.

"Yes, you may send him in. But he has to behave. He was acting too much like Emmett."

Alice laughed again, cradling Ness to her.

"We certainly don't need another Emmett."

Alice smiled and waved bye with her free hand and walked back out the back door.

As quick as she walked out Jacob came back inside.

Jacob sat down in the floor, next to the arm rest of the couch.

He smiled but didn't say a word.

Bella shifted her weight closer to Edward and began talking again.

"As I was thinking, what I thought was going to be my last thoughts, Jacob pulled me from the water and 'resuscitates' me with a couple chest compressions."

Edward looked down at Jacob and smiled softly, before turn his attention back to Bella.

"Sam was there too, but Jacob told him to get back to the hospital. After Sam disappears, Jacob told me that Harry Clearwater had a heart attack and was at the hospital."

Charlie grimaced and leaned back on the couch.

I knew Harry and him were kinda close.

I also knew he loved Harry's fish fry; I always hated it.

"Jacob took me back to his house. So I could dry off and get warm. We both rested in the living room and I remembered Romeo and Juliet."

Romeo and Juliet?!

What did that have to do with this!?

What did that have to do with anything?!

I hate Shakespeare.

But Bella loved it!

"I briefly thought that if Romeo left Juliet, could she love Paris? Wouldn't Romeo want her to be happy? But I knew I would never be happy. I needed my Edward for me to be complete."

Edward smiled and whispered something to her, which resulted in Bella giving him a small kiss on the lips.

"When Billy came home he told us Harry had died and Jacob took me home. He embraced me on the way and I briefly wondered again if I could love Jacob enough, and make him happy."

Edward cringed and pulled Bella closer.

"I knew if I kissed him, I could have made the decision whether or not I could. But I didn't. I wouldn't. I couldn't."

Edward kissed Bella on top of her head.

Jacob smiled softly, but says nothing.

"When we pulled up in front of the house, Jacob smelled a vampire and rushed to get me away."

Charlie sits forward again as did I.

"That's when I saw Carlisle's car. I knew that car. The sound of the engine purring and accelerating. The feel and smell of the black leather seats. It was the same car Alice and Jasper rushed me to Phoenix in. I knew it wasn't Victoria and I demanded to go back."

Charlie relaxed a bit.

I was still so unsure about everything!

"I had family home. I thought and hoped it was Carlisle but I wouldn't hope for Esme or anyone else. It didn't matter who was back. I told myself one was enough for now. I had someone home. I was safe."

Jacob kind of smiled up at Bella and Edward chuckled and nodded at Jacob; earning a smile from Jacob.

"I knew Jacob felt betrayed. But I needed to know who was home. I needed that comfort!"

Jacob chuckled lightly this time.

"I did. But nothing matters anymore, about any of that or what happened between you and I. Everything worked out in the end; you have your true mate and I have my imprint!"

Edward grimaced when Jacob said 'you and I' but smiled and nodded at the rest; along with Bella.

"I ran into the house and I saw someone I didn't expect. Someone I didn't let myself hope for. It was Alice and I as soon as I saw her I ran into her arms."

Jacob's smile never faded as he closed his eyes and leaned his head back.

"I had my best friend back. My best girl-friend back. I had my sister back and I didn't know for how long."

Edward smiled at Bella.

Charlie smiled at her too.

I know Charlie loves Alice.

"Alice was confused, she saw me throw myself off a cliff, but didn't see my resurface. I assured Alice I wasn't trying to kill myself, just having 'fun' cliff diving."

Edward and Charlie shook their heads slowly.

Disapproval showing in their faces.

"I explained to Alice that Jacob Black saved me. But Alice did not see Jacob in her vision."

Edward grumbled something and Jacob laughed, making Bella narrow her eyes.

"Alice can't 'see' werewolves." Bella said slowly before continuing her story.

"I told Alice, that Jacob is a werewolf and that Victoria is trying to kill me. I made Alice stay with me, even though she was already planning on it. She wasn't going to leave me alone again."

Edward pulled Bella closer and kissed her forehead.

"The next morning I overheard Charlie telling Alice how bad it was for me when Edward left."

Edward cringed slightly as did Charlie.

"Alice also told Charlie that Edward wasn't much better than I was. He was even worse."

Charlie shifted his weight yet again and leaned back.

"Like Edward said before, he isolated himself from the family by his own volition and he did a few things like hunting for Victoria. Alone!"

Edward flinched back against the sofa and I couldn't stop myself from laughing at the look on his face.

Jacob and Charlie joined me soon after.

"Then he was hiding away in an attic in Peru. Anyways, later Alice tells me she had found out her real name and also that she had a sister, and she has a niece that's still alive."

Edward closed his eyes and leaned against Bella's head.

"Harry Clearwater's funeral was that next day. Jacob comes over after Charlie leaves but before the funeral to see how long Alice is staying for."

Jacob rolled his eyes.  
>"Ha! Forever!"<p>

Bella smiled softly.

"Jacob said that he couldn't be around vampires. Not anymore. Clearly. But it was back; well I will explain later."

Edward smirked as Bella scoffed, jokingly.

"After talking and arguing, I could tell Jacob wanted to kiss me."

Edward squeezed his eyes shut even tighter.

"I panicked. I didn't know if I wanted it to happen, I didn't want to kiss another man, but Edward was gone and I thought there was absolutely no chance to see him again. I was so confused, I couldn't decide what to do."

Edward kissed the side of Bella's head.

"I didn't want a relationship and wasn't sure if I ever would again. I didn't want to be Jacob's girlfriend and I told him that so many times. I didn't want to be with anyone but Edward."

Edward turned Bella's head towards him and kissed her lightly on the lips.

Jacob smiled sweetly, but looked away.

Charlie shifted his weight again and I moved over to lean on the arm rest.

Edward kissed her on her forehead and then Bella continued after she whispered something to Edward.

"So Jacob was getting ready to kiss me when the phone rings. Thank God! I was saved by the bell. But then Jacob had to answer the phone and said that Charlie was not there, that he's at the funeral."

Bella grumbled and mumbled something towards Jacob; who ducked his head.

"He thought it was Carlisle, but it wasn't. Alice rushed back into the house to say it was Edward on the phone, not Carlisle. That Rosalie had told Edward about me jumping off that cliff and Edward thought the funeral was for me and he was going to Italy."

Bella grimaced.

"I knew what that meant and I acted quickly. Edward was going to Volterra to ask the Volturi to kill him, because he believed I was dead."

Charlie's eyes widened and Edward frowned.

"Alice and I hurriedly leave for  
>the airport and Italy. Jacob corners me at the door and begged me to stay with him."<p>

Charlie shifted again and made a soft noise.

"I couldn't. My world was about to end. Again. Just worst this time."

Edward cringed and buried his head in Bella's neck.

"On the plane, Alice told me it was too dangerous for any of the family to come with us. That she can't lose Jasper. I could and can understand that."

Jacob nodded as did Edward, who peeked his head from Bella's neck.

"Alice told me that Edward needed to see me to believe that I'm alive."

Edward smiled sadly.

"I wouldn't have believed anyone else."

Bella's mouth formed and straight line and she continued.

"She explained about the Volturi, their guard, their law enforcement, and their eating arrangements."

Everyone shuddered.

"Alice then closed her eyes and followed Edward's actions in her mind. Leaving me alone in my thoughts."

"That's dangerous!" Jacob scoffed, earning a light smack from Edward and Bella both.

Well he did deserve it.

Edward took a deep breath and began talking this time.

"You know most of this and Bella will tell the rest but I thought you should hear it from me also, so anyways; after I mistakenly learned from my overzealous sister, Rosalie that Bella had committed suicide based on a vision that Alice had of Bella cliff diving."

Jacob looked up towards Edward and then to Bella before looking back at his hands.

"I become completely broken and attempted to convince the Volturi, to kill me, by explaining that I broke one of the most important vampire laws: telling Bella, a human, about the existence of vampires, but Aro, the leader of the Volturi, refuses as he finds my power useful to their collection."

Charlie muttered something and scooted himself to lean back on the nasty couch.

"Then I decided to expose myself by appearing under sunlight during the St. Marcus Festival to make them kill me, so I would be back with Bella."

Bella smiled and sighed, hugging Edward to her.

"Alice immediately has a vision of his death, and she and Bella rush to Italy to stop me before I fulfilled my plans.  
>During the festival, I was about to step into the sunlight, but Bella manages to stop me and she showed me that she was still alive."<p>

Bella kissed the side of Edward's face and continued her story.

"In Italy, Alice steals a Porsche and she and I race to Volterra."

Charlie looked up and raised an eyebrow but smiled none the less.

"It was St. Marcus Day; the day in history where Marcus sent all the vampires out of the city. Ironically that didn't really happen. St. Marcus is the same Marcus that's one of the founders of the Volturi."

Charlie made a funky noise and shifted to cross his legs and lean against the armrest.

"Anyways, Edward planned to enter the main plaza when the sun was at its brightest, at noon. The roads around Volterra are super crowded, Alice had to drop me off and told me which direction to run."

Jacob frowned and leaned into the bottom of the other sofa.

The cleaner, newer sofa.

"There were people everywhere! They all had red hooded cloaks on. It was a sea of red fabric. I was afraid. Terrified I'd be too late. Then my life would be absolutely nothing."

Edward pulled her closer into him and kissed the top of her head.

"The clock chimed for the first time and I screamed his name. The cobblestones under my feet rang with each toll. As the stupid bell tower was tolling, I saw Edward at the edge of the light."

Charlie leaned forward again.

My gosh I wish he would sit still!

"I cried his name again but he was not listening. Edward's eyes were closed, his face peaceful. I slammed into him. It felt like I ran into the brick wall next to him. But then Edward wrapped his arms around me and I was whole."

I sighed.

I was so happy and glad they were together.

I was also slightly torn.

I wanted to hear the rest of this story and everything but I was also getting antsy.

Whatever.

I need to listen.

I shifted my legs under me.

"I was home. But I still knew we were in danger. I was pushing against Edward; trying not succeeding to push him back into the shadows. But Edward believed that he was already dead and was reunited with me in Heaven."

Bella smiled up at Edward and he smiled back, kissing her on the forehead, then her nose and finally her lips.

When they broke away; Edward nuzzled his face in Bella's neck.

"Making me happy he finally believed he indeed has his soul."

Bella said the last part as she ran her fingers through his hair.

"Anyways, I finally made Edward see that we are not dead, but before we could leave, Felix and Demetri were already there."

Jacob made a noise and started mumbling under his breath.

Edward nodded against Bella's hair, agreeing to whatever Jacob was mumbling.

"There was a slight confrontation and then Alice joins us. Then Jane arrived."

Jacob growled and Edward looked up from Bella and down at Jacob.

They stared at each other for a moment then Edward shook his head 'no' and Jacob looked away.

"Anyways! Edward's defensive stance relaxes in defeat. We follow Jane through a long, cold alley to meet the Volturi."

Charlie made that funky noise again but doesn't move.

"Edward holds me, caresses my face and kisses my head. Holding me closer to him with each step. I sadly realized this was going to be the only reunion we were going to get."

Edward kissed Bella's temple.

No one said anything.

"Jane finally leads us into what seemed as an unremarkable office, we pass through long halls with many doors, into a round, cavernous room filled with several vampires."

Jacob mumbles something and stands up.

He didn't go far, just over to the front window.

Bella watches him a moment and then continued.

"Aro cheerfully talks to us about our talents. He wondered how Edward could stand so close to me. With me being his singer."

Edward pulled Bella onto his lap and buried his face in her neck again.

"Aro knows that I am the one exception to Edward's gift and he wondered if I was also an exception to his own. Aro reaches for my hand and I reluctantly give my hand to him."

Jacob shook slightly as did Charlie.

I felt sick and confused by the whole thing.

"Nothing."

Charlie smiled and chuckled a bit.

"Bet that bruised his ego."

Edward looked up and smiled at Charlie and nodded.

He then rested his chin on Bella's shoulder.

"Aro then asked Jane to see if I was immune to her talent as well."

Charlie's smile went away and Edward and Jacob made a low rumbling noise.

"Then Edward launched himself towards Jane but ended up on the floor writhing in pain; Aro redirected Jane towards me, and again, nothing."

Jacob laughed and came back to sit on the floor in front of Edward and Bella.

"Oh I would have loved to see the look on that stupid leech's face!"

Edward rolled his eyes at him and refocused himself on Bella.

"Aro asked Edward, Alice, and myself to join his guard. We of course said no."

He asked my baby that?!

My stomach felt like it flipped upside down.

Charlie looked over at Edward and Bella.

"Aro noted that I knew their secrets.  
>And that I must either become a vampire or die."<p>

I felt myself gasp and I then forward this time.

Charlie didn't make a sound.

"Alice gave her hand to Aro and showed him a vision of me as a vampire; with that Aro is satisfied. For now."

I felt the cold chill in my spine again.

Charlie's whole body was unsettled.

Jacob rolled his eyes and leaned back.

"Then we were free to go. As we were walking out a group of tourists was led into the room, their screams of terror begin before Edward could pull me out of that long hall."

Charlie cringed back into the couch.

I took a sip of my water, hoping to calm my stomach.

"We all had to wait in that office until midnight and then we were completely free to go."

Bella said the last part in almost a whisper.

Bella looked up and sideways at Edward and kissed his temple before speaking again.

"I forced myself to stay awake all that day and through both long flights home; I didn't want to miss a second of my time with Edward. I didn't know how much time I had. And in Edward's arms, it was easy for me to fantasize that he still wanted me. That I had everything once again."

Edward laid his head back on Bella's shoulder and whispered something in her ear. She looked up at him and kissed his nose, whispering something back.

"All the Cullens met us at the airport and they thanked me for saving Edward, Rosalie apologized for her part in the whole misunderstanding.  
>And at home, a very worried and angry Charlie was waiting; furious with Edward."<p>

Charlie grumbled something and slouched further into the couch.

Edward grimaced and buried his face back into my daughter's hair.

"After a long sleep, I wake up to find Edward with me and I was convinced I was still asleep."

Jacob snorted, earning a glare from Bella.

"Edward tells me that Charlie has forbidden him to ever walk through his door again. He joked saying he didn't; that he came through the window."

Charlie's eye did its twitchy thing again, as I glanced over at him.

"Edward was in complete agony over the dangers he left me to face.

"I'm going to spare you all romantic details and spare myself from embarrassment of talking about my private talks. But basically Edward explained why he had to leave me and he explained that he lied to me about not wanting me; Edward was astonished that I believed the lie he told after all the thousands of times he told me that he loved me. My answer was that it never made sense for him to love me."

Edward looked over and Bella kissing her softly on the cheek.

"I love you, Bella." He whispered quietly, but loud enough for me to hear it.

Bella kisses his forehead. "I know. And I love you, Edward so much."

Edward grinned and rest his chin back on Bella's shoulder.

"I do was to tell you one thing that Edward said to me that night."

Bella glanced sideways at Edward and he looked up and started to say what Bella wanted.

"I said to Bella; Before you, Bella, my life was like a moonless night. Very dark, but there were stars—points of light and reason… And then you shot across my sky like a meteor. Suddenly everything was on fire; there was brilliancy, there was beauty. When you were gone, when the meteor had fallen over the horizon, everything went black. Nothing had changed, but my eyes were blinded by the light. I couldn't see the stars anymore. And there was no more reason for anything."

I could feel my eyes tearing up as he spoke.

Edward leaned forward, towards Bella. Resting his forehead with hers.  
>Bella pecked his lips once.<p>

Charlie half smile and leaned back with a groan, crossing his legs.

Jacob smiled, but said nothing.

"Anyways Edward tried to convince me again that he loves me and will never leave me again. I then reminded Edward that I was going to grow old and die unless he changed me. Edward refused."

Bella glared at Edward when she said the last two words.

Jacob snickered something like 'Busted'.

Bella glanced at him and he quickly looked towards Charlie and away from Bella.

"So I decided to put my mortality up for a vote by the family."

Charlie looked slightly uncomfortable and I think all the blood drained from my face.

"On the way to the Cullen's, I tell Edward that my worst fear is that Edward will leave me again. Edward tells me that my hold on him is permanent and unbreakable."

Edward smiled.

"Always has been, always will."

Bella kisses the top of Edwards hand.

"That's when I had an epiphany, that i should of had a long time ago. Edward loves me."

Edward nodded and rest his chin on her shoulder again.

"The Cullens congregated in the dining room. I explained that my mortality involves all of them and I asked them if they want me to join their family. Everyone but Rosalie and Edward said yes."

Charlie looked over towards Edward for a second then looked back at Bella.

I was still confused.

"Rosalie told me that she wished there had been someone to vote no for her and Edward says yes he wanted me to join the family; but not that way."

Edward whispered something in Bella's ear again.

Which earned him a kiss.

"Long story short, Edward bargains for more time— he suggests that we wait until after graduation."

Jacob yawned and stretched his long legs out again.

"Then Edward asked me what was one thing I wanted. Naturally I said him. He changed his question to, 'name one thing I wanted that I didn't already have."

Charlie scooted to sit straight on the nasty sofa and stretched out his legs, much like Jacob did.

"I said, I wanted to have him to change me, instead of Carlisle."

I saw Charlie's eyes widen from the corner of my eye.

"I wanted to have Edward's venom in my veins. His venom to be the one to change me so we could be together forever. It was an almost intimate thing to me."

I got chills thinking about it.

It sounded so romantic.

Charlie made his weird face again and Jacob snorted.

Which earned Jacob a jab into his ribs by Bella's foot.

"Shut up Jake!"

Jacob nodded and smirked.

"Anyways, Edward said he would change me himself on one condition."

I leaned forward as did Charlie.

"If I married him first."

Charlie made a funky sound and leaned back.

I turned my head to the side; thinking.

I guess I'm incapable of putting two and two together, cause I got nothing.

"Of course I wanted to marry him. I want to spend forever with Edward. I was just terrified of marriage. Which is really stupid now that I think about it."

Bella chuckled softly, kissing the side of Edwards jaw.

Bella laughed!

My poor Bella.

She was afraid to get married and it was because of me!

I sighed and looked back over at them.

"Almost everything was back to normal, I was grounded; Jacob wouldn't return my phone calls."

Charlie shook his head at Jacob, who slouched down further.

"Then one day soon after we got home, Edward drove me home from school to find my motorcycle in the driveway."

Jacob slouched even further into the nice sofa and into himself.

"Jacob was waiting to talk to Edward and I in the woods. Jacob had hoped the motorcycle would get me grounded, and away from Edward. Little did he know, I already was!"

Jacob's shoulders were now above his head and he had no neck visible.

"Edward shocked Jacob by thanking him for keeping me alive."

Jacob looked up a little and nodded.

"Yeah he did!" Jacob chuckled.

"Jacob also reminded Edward that the treaty forbids a vampire from biting a human.

What?

I still don't understand the whole thing.

Oh well.

I guess they will tell me and answer questions later.

I leaned back into the gross couch and sighed.

"Jacob leaves so sad and angry; and vowed to see him smile again"

Bella took a deep breath and leaned further into Edward's arms.

Jacob smiled up at them.

Charlie and I shifted our weight as Bella began once again.


	14. Chapter 13

Chapter Thirty-Nine: Eclipse Part One

"Jacob was sending me notes saying that he missed me, but that it didn't change anything. He was acting like we were in 2nd grade."

Jacob kinda grimaced and leaned further into the bottom of the arm of the couch.

"Charlie lifted my grounding if I would balance my time among my friends, well especially Jacob."

Charlie grumbled something and his bottom lip disappeared under the caterpillar he calls a mustache.

Edward held back a laugh that turned into a snort and earned a look from Bella.

"Anyways, a little after Charlie lifted my grounding, Edward brings over a huge stack of college applications"

Bella made a face as she said college applications and Edward smiled lightly.

"When Edward was bugging me about the applications, he sees an article in the newspaper about a series of mysterious killings in Seattle and explains to me that these killings are most likely caused by a newborn; a recently turned vampire who is unable to control its thirst."

My terrible frozen like chill went down my spine.

"Later on, I want to try to make things right with Jacob, to which Edward strongly objects, stating that werewolves are unstable and that they could hurt me."

Jacob snorted and Edward kicked him lightly in the side.

"At lunch as a promise to Charlie I made plans to help Angela address her graduation announcements and while I was making the plans Alice has a vision. Edward was very evasive about it."

Jacob leaned even further into the sofa.

I raised an eyebrow at him but said nothing. Charlie grunted and crossed his legs.

"Anyways Edward denies what he saw and tries to talk me into leaving town to visit my mom for the weekend, saying that it might be my last chance to see her before I graduate."

I felt my eyes widen as I got my bearings back on the story timeline again.

"He suggests that I should use the nearly expired airplane tickets Carlisle and Esme gave me for my birthday."

Bella frowned slightly and scooted closer to Edward.

"I knew Charlie wouldn't want me to go but dear Edward here manipulated an argument between Charlie and I, that made me insist I was going to Florida."

Charlie sat up straighter and crossed his arms.

Oh my gosh! I wished he'd hold sill; he is driving me mad!

"You forgot that Charlie tried to give you the sex talk."

What?!

Bella's head jerked towards Jacob, whom was sitting in his spot on the floor.

"Who told you about that?" She asked through clenched teeth.

Jacob smirked and shrugged.

"Emmett did." Edward said after a moment.

She turned towards him.

"And who told Emmett?!" Bella's voice rang through the living room.

Edward chuckled lightly.

"Alice did to get back at you for threatening to burn her shoes. Alice saw the vision first hand remember."

Bella's left eye twitched slightly before she took a deep breath and leaned back against Edward.

"So Edward and I fly to visit Renée in Florida. Edward stayed indoors claiming to have a paper due. Renée is insightful. Sorry."

Jacob smiled at me as I waved off Bella's comment with a laugh.

"But she does observes that Edward and I are more serious than she had supposed."

I nodded and smiled again.

"Anyways; as soon I get home Jacob calls to see if I was going to be in school the next day. Well I assumed that he is checking to see if I was still human and if the treaty had been broken."

My chill came back again.

Charlie uncrossed his legs and slumped back onto the nasty sofa.

"I was wrong."

That chill was still stuck in my spine.

What is going to happen to them now?

"The next day Edward and I pulled into the school parking lot to see Jacob waiting for us. He had come to the school to talk to Edward and they argued."

Bella glared down at Jacob and continued.

"I figured out from their conversation that Victoria had been in Forks. That's what Alice saw it in her vision. And Edward took me away to keep me out of danger. Also there was some problem between the Quileutes and the Cullens."

Charlie frowned again and re crossed his legs.

"Before Jacob left he tortured poor Edward with memories of me holding myself together."

Bella glared at Jacob, making him flinch.

"Long story short I was again frightened because of Victoria. The family didn't seem worried and Edward goes hunting."

Edward made a quiet noise and leaned further into Bella.

"That Saturday I go to work but was not needed. I dumped some papers in the dumpster and realized they were flyers to save the giant wolves. Everyone and Charlie were going Jacob hunting."

Edward started laughing and Jacob jerked his head up and looked at Bella.

"Jacob hunting?" He asked.

Bella laughed along with Edward.

Charlie smiled and I was lost again.

"So I quickly drove to La Push, before Alice could see what I was doing."

Jacob smiled and Edward shook his head.

"Jacob was overjoyed to see me and we talked happily for a while. Then the conversation turned to my little trip to Italy, the Volturi, Victoria's appearance, and the confrontation between the wolves and the Cullens."

Jacob looked down, not saying anything.

Charlie shifted once again to lean on his knees with his elbows.

"Jacob wished the vampires had never come back and I quickly disagreed."

Jacob moved his legs so his knees were to his chest and his head resting on his knees.

"Jacob wonders what I see in Edward and he tried to convince me that he would be better for me. I told him how great Edward is and why I love Edward so much and I ignored his advances."

Jacob lifted his head as Edward kicked him lightly in the side again.

Jacob put on the biggest, cheesy grin and Edward chuckled, giving a gentle smile back.

"Jacob and I continued our talk;  
>Quil is happy to have become a werewolf; Jacob told me what Sam went through when he changed, then imprinted on Emily and broke Leah's heart; he explained to me that werewolves don't age and I got mad."<p>

Jacob hid his face again and laughed.

And when I say laughed I mean he laughed and hard.

Bella glared a hole in the top of his head.

Edward was trying to hold back a smile.

"What's so funny?" Charlie asked.

My thoughts exactly.

Jacob looked up and smiled.

"When I told Bells that werewolves don't age she stomped her foot and threw a mini Bella tantrum. Yelling 'That's not!'" Jacob explained, laughing again.

Bella had her arms crossed across her chest and a scary look on her face.

Edward cleared his throat to get Jacob's attention and when he did Jacob shut up completely.

Bella stood slowly and took a couple steps towards Jacob and kneeled down to eye level.

Edward shifted and looked down at them both from his spot on the sofa.

"You thought my life being thrown into turmoil was funny!? That finding out most of my family and now my best friend was going to live forever young and I was stuck getting older!?"

Jacob flinched and offered her a small smile.

Bella took a deep breath and took a couple steps and sat on Edward's lap.

Edward wrapped his arms around her waist and whispered something in her ear.

Bella nodded, sighed and began talking again.

"I promised Jake I'd come back as soon as I could. I leave Jacob's and I drove straight to Angela's house, not stopping even when I see Edward's car behind me."

Bella kissed one of Edward's hands.

"Busted." Jacob snickered so softly I almost missed it.

"Thin ice." Bella said calmly.

Jacob put his head back on his knees but I saw a smile on his face as he hid it.

"I really enjoyed the afternoon with Angela. She was my closest human friend."

Charlie cocked his head.

I tried to remember what Angela looks like.

"Edward was waiting for me in my room; he was worried and angry."

Edward kissed the top of her head.

"Edward told me I could never see Jacob again it was too dangerous;  
>I came right back at him and said that I would see him."<p>

Bella rolled her eyes and Edward smiled again.

"Edward goes hunting again for two days and he bribed miss Alice to kidnap me for a slumber party."

Jacob laughed and smiled up at Edward and Bella.

"I stomp up to his room and am greeted with a huge golden bed but I was mad and thought it was useless at the time and I slept on the couch."

Of course she did!

Edward, Bella and Jacob looked over towards the backyard.

"Excuse me." Jacob said as he stood and walked into the kitchen and out the back door.

"Where did he go off to in such a hurry?" Charlie asked.

Edward sat up even straighter, pulling Bella to his side.

"Seth called." Edward said, like it was obvious.

"You wouldn't have been able to hear him. Seth is about two miles west from here. It didn't sound like anything serious." Edward explained and Bella nodded.

"He should be back soon. We can continue without him." Bella said, calmly.

"During the night Rosalie comes to talk to me and she tells me her story, about all the awful events that led to her becoming a vampire."

Charlie grumbled something under his breath and crossed his arms over his chest.

"She explained why she didn't like me and she said that I was making the wrong choice. She also told me how she found Emmett."

I shifted my weight and put my legs underneath me.

"The next day at school Jacob showed up and races away with me on his motorcycle. Alice's face was livid."

Edward shook his head and kissed Bella on the temple.

"Jacob and I spent the afternoon on the beach just talking. He told me that Quil imprinted on a two-year-  
>old and Jacob explained that it's not a romantic thing yet— more<br>like gravity. I wondered when Jacob would see someone and imprint and Jacob told me that he'll only ever see me."

Bella looked irritated.

"Then he imprinted on my daughter." She mumbled under her breath and crossed her legs.

"Jacob found out that I intended to become a vampire very soon."

My eyes felt like they were going to pop out of their sockets.

What?!

I looked over at Charlie and his face showed nothing.

"Anyways then Jacob told me I'd be better off dead. I left, angry and hurt and I go back to Alice's slumber party."

Charlie's face looked priceless.

I guess over what Jacob said.

"Edward returned during the night. He was not angry; he trusts my judgment, and I can see Jacob whenever I like. I told Edward that I didn't think I was welcome in La Push anymore."

Edward took Bella's hand and squeezed lightly.

"I go back to Charlie's and Jacob had called to apologize, but I wouldn't call him back. When I go upstairs my bedroom seemed unusually tidy, and some of my clothes were missing."

A chill ran down my spine again.

Charlie sat up a little straighter and unfolded his arms.

"Edward comes over later and he smelled that a vampire has been there. Edward quickly takes me back to the Cullen's and he has Emmett and Jasper check the vampire's trail. Even scarier Alice had not seen the intruder. I was truly frightened again."

Charlie looked livid.

My odd frozen chill was still present in my lower spine.

"I called Jacob and he apologized profusely. Then Edward talked to Jacob and told him about the unknown vampire in my room."

Charlie leaned even more forward and placed his elbows on his knees once again.

"Edward and Jacob agreed to work together to protect me."

Edward's lips moved quickly and Bella smiled up at him.

He must of whispered something to her.

"Jacob came over to get the scent of the vampire and I wondered aloud why Jacob wears so little clothing and he explained the problem of clothes and phasing. I felt stupid. Then stupid Jacob accidentally cuts his hand with a knife and it healed in minutes."

Edward smirked but said nothing.

Charlie made his weird noise again.

"I got an acceptance letter from Dartmouth. I mentioned the missing clothes to Edward and he realized the intruder took things with my scent, as evidence of having found me."

Dartmouth!

My baby got excepted to an Ivy League college!

Wait what else did she say?

Never mind I'll find out later.

"There were more newspaper headlines about killings in Seattle."

Charlie's noise made an appearance again and Edward nodded at Charlie.

Charlie looked over at Bella and back at Edward before grumbling something else and leaned back against the nasty couch.

"I decided to go to La Push for a bonfire party and Edward drove me to the boundary line and handed me off to Jacob."

I wonder where the boundary line is?

Naw I don't really care.

Edward smiled.

"Jacob and I go to the council meeting bonfire. The wolf pack was there, along with Billy, Old Quil, and Sue and the imprints minus little Claire."

Charlie sighed and crossed his legs again.

"The council meeting began and Billy told us the Quileute history that he told you earlier."

Oh we came full circle?

Maybe.

Maybe not.

Never mind.

"Billy noted that the sons of the tribe now carry the burden of their ancestors."

Edward looked up and over towards the kitchen.

As did Bella.

"Okay. No worries."

Bella raised her eyebrows at Edward and he smiled.

"Jacob said he would be back in a few he is going back to the main house to grab something. That everything is fine and there is nothing to worry about."

Bella nodded and smiled.

"Anyways graduation was near and I was not ready to be changed. Plus Edward didn't want me to become a vampire just because I was afraid; Edward reiterated why he wanted me to stay human. I explained my problem with getting married."

Charlie must have asked Edward something cause Edward shook his head no and Charlie sighed.

I was getting pretty tired of this.

I hate not knowing what was being said or thought, in this case.

Bella smirked at her husband and dad knowingly.

I think I felt my eye twitch.

Bella cleared her throat and began again.

"There were more headlines about killings in Seattle and the Cullens wondered what they should  
>do."<p>

What could they do?

I wish someone would tell me something!

"Jasper told me the story of his human years and his early vampire  
>life before he was a Cullen."<p>

I shuddered at the memory of Jasper's story.

"Jasper recognized the killings in Seattle as the result of a newborn army he thought that perhaps the Volturi were encouraging someone to destroy the Cullens' coven."

Bella shook slightly and Edward wrapped his arms around her.

Charlie made another noise and my icy chill was back.

"The Denali clan refused to come help us because the werewolves killed Laurent, who was involved with Irina. One of the sisters."

Bella takes a deep breath and her and Edward looked towards the kitchen to see Jacob coming in with a box in his hands.

Jacob hands Edward the box and then takes a seat on the floor by Bella's feet.

Closing his eyes and leaning his head against the edge of the arm test.

Edward traced the edge of the box and took a deep breath.

Bella took the box from Edward and placed it on the other side of her on the sofa.

The clean sofa.

I wonder what's in the box?

"What's in the box Bella?" I asked, letting my eyes fall back to the very pretty box.

The box is an antique looking wood with red, black and white swirls all around it.

"A couple scrapbooks but we will show you them a little later on this evening." Bella answered my question with a pleasant smile.

Ooh pictures!

I love pictures!

"Alice made all the preparations for 'my' graduation party."

Bella started her story again, making air quotations when she said 'my'.

Jacob who hasn't said anything since returning, smiles sweetly with his eyes still closed.

"The Cullens felt like they had to go to Seattle to take care of the problem. Edward goes hunting to be at his strongest and I am dropped off to spend the afternoon with Jacob"

Jacob's smile vanished and he folded his arms across his chest.

"That's when I invited Jacob to the graduation party. Then Jacob told me that he loves me and wanted me to choose him over Edward."

I glanced back down at Jacob and back up to Edward and Bella.

"Then stupid, stupid Jacob kissed me; I then proceeded to punch him in the face and I broke my hand."

A low growl penetrated the air in the room.

Jacob flinched away from Edward and brought his knees up to his chest, wrapping his arms around them.

"I told Jacob to take me home and was even more pissed off when he took me to Charlie's. Having to explain to him that a doctor does not live there. To make thing even better Charlie laughs when he hears that Jacob kissed me."

Charlie grumbled something and I glared over at him.

How dare he laugh at an unwanted kiss!

"Edward was way beyond angry. He later threatened to break Jacob's jaw for me if he ever kissed me without my permission again."

Jacob opened his and rested his chin on his knees.

I felt like he was pretending he wasn't there.

Like he wanted to disappear.

"Well I was never gonna give Jacob permission too, so it was a moot point anyways. I knew who I couldn't live without."

Edward leaned over and kissed Bella's temple before squeezing her hand that he has been holding.

"They both vow to keep fighting for me and to not fight fair."

Jacob snorted and buried his face in his knees; resting his forehead against them.

"On the night of my graduation, I realized that my missing clothes and the newborn army were all connected; that the newborns were after me."

Charlie went back into his funky position, with his elbows on his knees and his chin placed in his open hands.

"After the actual graduation ceremony, I told Edward what I had figured it all out; Edward was stunned."

I bet.

I know I am.

I glanced over at Charlie and he was staring and listening intently.

"I go to dinner with a very proud Charlie and after he dropped me off at the Cullens' graduation party"

Charlie's face broke out into a huge grin.

"Alice had transformed the house into a nightclub, and all the Forks High School seniors show up; as did Jacob, Embry, and Quil."

Charlie's movement caught my attention again.

Wouldn't he just hold still!

"Jacob gave me a gift he made himself,— a silver bracelet with a hand carved wolf charm."

Bella held out her arm and showed Charlie and me the dainty silver chain link bracelet with a tiny wolf charm and a crystal looking heart charm.

It was very pretty and so Bella.

"Then Alice had a vision; she told the family and the pack that about twenty newborns were coming to Forks to kill me. We were outnumbered and the pack agrees to coordinate with us."

The familiar cold chill runs down my spine.

Charlie shifted back against the nasty sofa with a grumbled grunt; folding his arms across his chest again.

"The Cullens' were very confident now that the wolves were going to fight beside them, I worried about Jacob, worried that everyone is in danger because of me."

Edward brought her hand up to his lips and kissed her gently.

Jacob reached up towards Bella without looking up from his knees.

Bella took his hand with her other hand and Jacob gave it a comforting squeeze before releasing her hand and resumed his former position.

"I concluded that Victoria must have been behind the army."

Two separate growls rumbles through the room.

But I only lasted for a fraction of a second.

"Late at night, the vampires and werewolves meet to learn how  
>to kill newborns."<p>

I shuddered at the two terms.

Charlie was handling this story a lot better than I was apparently.

"The wolf pack had grown to ten members."

Charlie shifted his weight yet again.

"The vampires and werewolves are wary of one another and memorized each other's scents. Then Jasper explained and demonstrated the newborns' strengths and weaknesses."

I felt my eyes widen and I swear my right one twitched.

"Edward and Jacob discuss how to best protect me and they decided that Jacob would carry me to a secluded spot; his scent would mask mine."

Jacob looked up again and leaned against his knees.

"Edward noticed the bracelet and the charm that Jacob had given me and asked if he could give me a charm, just a hand-me-down."

I wonder if that is where the heart charm came from.

But Bella started talking again before I could ask.

"Later Edward muses about listening to the pack's mind and that Leah Clearwater is one of the wolves now. The only female; the first female ever. And that she was making everyone miserable."

Jacob snorts out a laugh.

"You have no idea about the drama we endured and that my pack deals with now."

Edward laughed along with Bella

"Edward was very surprised to learn about imprinting and how it worked."

Jacob stopped laughing and Edward grimaced but then smiled down at Jacob.

Bella smiled at them both before she continued.

"Later on I informed Edward that I must be with him during the fight. Long story short, we made a compromise, that's when I asked Edward to sit out the fight with me."

Jacob rolled his eyes and Bella kicked him in his side; she must have seen him out of the corner of her vision.

"The wolves and vampires undergo another night of training and instruction. I felt horribly guilty about my selfishness."

Jacob went to say something but stopped himself.

"Wise choice Jacob." Edward quipped, smirking softly.

Bella raised an eyebrow at Jacob but didn't say anything to him.

"Anyways after ensuring that Charlie would be safe in La Push for the weekend, all the Cullens' except Edward go hunting."

Charlie grumbles something incoherent.

Edward smiled slightly before kissing Bella on her temple again.

"Later on when Edward and I were alone the night before we were to leave for the newborn army; I spent the night with Edward and he gave me the hand-me-down charm, a heart-shaped crystal that was his mother's. At least I thought it was crystal."

It's not crystal?

"What is it then?" I asked, without thinking.

"It's a diamond." Edward answered calmly; as it was the most obvious thing in the world.

Dang!

That suckers huge!

Wish Phil would get me something like that.

"I was on a mission that night."

Mission?

What mission?

"I of course still had my heart set on joining Edward and his family as a vampire. But I was worried about what I would be like as a vampire, fearing that I would only be interested in blood. That I wouldn't want Edward the same way I did then."

My stupid, icy chill went down my spine again and Charlie made his funky noise again and leaned into the sofa.

"After little consideration, I decided that there was only one thing I wanted while I was still human."

Bella took a deep breath and looked over at Edward before she continued.

"I desperately wanted to make love with Edward. I wanted to be as close to Edward as possible before I made the change."

Charlie muttered something under his breath again.

I was still just trying to keep up.

"Edward immediately refused this demand, explaining that although he wanted me as much as I wanted him, he could easily kill me if he lost control. That it was too dangerous."

My chill came back again!

Charlie leaned forward into his weird position again, with his elbows on his knees and his head in his hands.

"I insisted that he would never allow himself to let that happen. That he would never hurt me."

Edward kisses the back of Bella's hand and whispers something.

But I couldn't hear what he said; but Jacob made a face.

"Eventually, Edward agreed to try, but I must marry him first. He swears that we would try after I  
>married him."<p>

Bella smiled softly and continued.

"At first I thought he was worried about his virtue and mine but Edward admits that he would like to leave one of God's commandments unbroken."

Charlie grinned and leaned back against the couch.

Edward smiled also.

"Edward showed me my wedding ring. The ring Edward's father gave to his mother. At first I hesitantly tried the ring on and it fit perfectly. Edward was exultant."

Edward kisses Bella's ring and then the back of her hand.

"Edward gets down on one knee and asked me to marry him. And I excepted whole heartedly."

Awe!

I love romance!

Charlie smiles slightly too.

"The only reason I didn't want to get married was because of you guys."

As she said this I started feeling super guilty.

"You always told me how horrible and how inappropriate it was to get married young."

I suddenly felt awful.

I shouldn't have been like that with her.

I should have just trusted her judgment.

"But deep down I knew Edward and I would be fine. Perfect rather."

Charlie actually smiled and all I could think was awe!

"He is the keeper of my heart. The home for my heart. He is my soul mate. My true love. My love. My lover. My protector. My provider. My confidant. My home. My angel. My best friend. My husband. My mate. My everything."

Edward reaches over and gives Bella a loving kiss on the lips.

I could feel myself becoming emotional.

Why couldn't Phil say things like that to me?!

Jacob yawned and stretched out his long legs in front of him.

Edward pulls Bella onto his lap and wrapped his arms around her waist.

Bella smiled as she started talking again.

"Alice saw that I was going to marry Edward; so naturally she was ecstatic and then Alice was very hurt because I wanted to go to Las Vegas to get married quickly."

Charlie made his stupid noise again and re-crossed his arms over his chest.

"Anyways, Edward took me to the clearing so that the newborns would find my scent there. I, of course being me, fall and scrape up my palm; I smeared blood on rocks and ferns."

Jacob made a face before refocusing his eyes to the brightly lit Christmas tree.

"Edward and I talked about how my blood doesn't bother him anymore."

I cocked my head to the side and Edward answered my unasked questions.

"I spent over 24 hours thinking she was dead. I could never be tempted by her blood again. She has always been and always will be my mate first, even with her being my singer, I was fine."

I nodded, still not understanding the entire thing, Charlie crossed his legs and grumbled something incoherent.

"So then Jacob came to carry me to the campsite from the clearing and he thought I should ask him to kiss me. He was so sure he was a better kisser than Edward."

Bella rolled her eyes and said something under her breath, which made Jacob scoff and Edward laugh.

Jacob soon joined Edward's laughter and Bella started her story again once the boys had quieted down.

"I told Jacob that I had asked Edward not to be in the fight, that I had asked him to stay with me. I was so afraid that if anyone got hurt, it would be all my fault; I was worried about Jacob too."

Bella said the last part as she kicked Jacob in the side again.

"Jacob asked me when I would admit that I loved him, too."

Jacob's smile quickly left his face and he looked back over at the Christmas tree.

"Anyways, Jacob finally gets me to the tent and that night a frigid storm hits the campsite."

Charlie sat up a little more and got back into his weird position.

"Inside the tent, I was freezing, and Edward could not warm me up; Jacob came into the tent to act as a space heater; he crawled into the sleeping bag with me; Edward was furious and jealous, but he saw the necessity of him keeping me warm. I wasn't too happy about it either but I was so cold."

Edward tightened his arms around Bella and buried his face into her neck.

"With the wind howling outside and with me finally asleep, Edward and Jacob had a discussion about me, and their competition for my love."

I could feel myself becoming bored once again and I felt the weird urge to yawn.

I was trying, I really was trying to focus on what my daughter was saying but I just couldn't understand all of it.

"Edward asked about the legend of the third wife, I was apparently mentioning about in my sleep. Eventually they forge a tenuous truce for the night."

Charlie smiled slightly and leaned back onto the stupid couch.

Why wouldn't he just hold still?!

"When the storm ends, so does the truce between Edward and Jacob."

Charlie's smile disappeared and he re-crossed his legs, with a sigh.

"Jacob leaves and Edward and I compare our top ten nights and we talked about our engagement. Unknown to me Jacob could hear us and he howls out in agony and runs off. I felt terrible that I had hurt Jacob, so Edward leaves the tent then to go bring Jacob back. That's when I realized I had also hurt Edward."

Bella sighs deeply and leaned closer to Edward.

Edward mumbled something into her hair and Bella nodded.

"When Edward comes back I go out to talk privately with Jacob and apologize for all the pain I had caused him. Then Jacob apologized too and he said that he can redeem himself by letting himself get taken out in the battle."

Jacob looked from the Christmas tree to his hands, which seemed to be shaking slightly, like he was cold.

I cocked my head to the side again and looked over at Edward for an answer.

"Basically Renee, he told Bella that he was going to go into battle with the intentions of dying because she won't love him back. He did it to make her feel guilty so that she would ask him to kiss him and it worked."

Edward explained the whole thing to me.

Ohh, ok I got it.

Maybe.

Edward sighed and reburied his head in Bella's neck.

Jacob pulled his knees up to his chest and buried his face in his knees; wrapping his arms around his legs.

"I of course felt horrible and I didn't want anything to happen to Jacob so I begged him to stay with me too and I knew the only way he would promise to stay safe was for me to kiss him. So I asked him to kiss me."

Bella said the last seven words with a shaky voice.

Edward raised his head again and kissed Bella on her temple and then rested his forehead where he kissed her.

I glanced over at Jacob and he hadn't moved at all.

"Jacob kissed me and the kiss was eager, nearly violent."

A low, menacing growl filled the room and a cold chill ran down my spine again.

Jacob flinched and scooted far away from Edward and Bella; so that he was sitting on the floor by the other side of the couch's arm rest thing.

"I resisted against him and Jacob urged me to let myself go. I do feel love for Jacob, not as nearly as strong as for Edward but I kiss him back"

The growl grew from its low, steady sound to an octave louder.

"During the kiss I had envisioned what might have been, but knew would never happen. I knew who I needed to survive. Who I loved more, who was the home for my heart. All the kiss did was make me, Edward and then Jacob miserable."

The growl stopped once Bella lifted Edward's head to look at her.

She looked him right in the eyes and he shivered and nodded; resting his head back into my daughter's neck.

"What just happened?" I asked, before I really thought about it.

Bella shook her head.

"I'll explain it a little later."

I nodded and then she continued her story.

"After Jacob finished kissing me he leaves all cheerfully for the fight. I felt dirty. I had betrayed Edward. Edward returned then and heard from the pack's mind what had happened between me and Jacob."

Jacob scooted even further way as Bella said this.

If he kept butt scooting he would be in the kitchen before the story is over.

"I felt terrible after the kiss and Edward being Edward wasn't angry at all. He was just sad that I had let Jacob manipulate me."

Edward lifted up his head again to rest his forehead back on the side of Bella's head.

"Despite realizing my feelings for Jacob, I knew that those feelings could never compare to the intense love I have for Edward. Never hold a candle to the need to have for Edward."

I see Jacob scoot a little further to where was leaning against the nightstand table thing next to the couch.

"I was miserable. Then the fight began and Edward started narrating everything as he heard the action through Seth's mind; who was still sitting outside our tent."

Edward cracked a smile.

"Poor Seth."

Bella smiled too.

"Yes, poor Seth."

Jacob raised his head for the first time in several minutes and rested his chin on his knees.

"Anyways, everything with the fight sounded positive until Edward sensed danger. Victoria and Riley walked right into our campsite."

The chill is back!

The chill is back!

The chill is back!

Oh my gosh, I felt myself freaking out.

I looked over at Charlie and his eye was bugging out.

"Seth attacked Riley while Edward took on Victoria. I watched the battle, listened to the metallic snaps and tears, gasps and hisses, growls and grindings."

Chills, chills, chills!

Charlie was back in his stupid position with his elbows on his knees and his head in his hands.

"Riley then flings Seth into the rock wall I was standing next to and Seth falls limp to the ground."

My breath seemed to catch into my throat.

"I felt like I needed to create a diversion; I grabbed and gripped a sharp stone and slashed y arm, where Carlisle had stitched up my arm the year before. The skin was still somewhat thin."

Edward shook his head and kissed her temple.

"My silly, beautiful girl."

I barely caught what he said.

"But my plan worked, Victoria lost her focus and Edward finished her off and Seth dismantled Riley. It was over."

Charlie let out a huge sigh and slumped back onto the couch.

You would have thought he was the one that battled that Victoria.

"Edward and Seth gathered all the pieces of Victoria and Riley and set them on fire; I was still frozen in place and poor Edward thought that I was afraid of him. He approached me carefully and I threw my arms around him."

Jacob seemed to be relaxing again and started scooting slowly back to rest against the arm rest on the far side of the couch.

"The main battle was over too; everyone was fine, then suddenly Seth howled and Edward gasped; Jacob had been hurt while trying to protect Leah. Needless to say I fainted."

Charlie grumbled something again.

I really wished he would just say everything he said loud enough for me to hear it.

"Back in the clearing, I revived and Carlisle assures me that Jacob was already healing.  
>There was another bonfire there; burning the remains of the newborns. There was also one young vampire with bright, wild red eyes, sitting on the ground, she had surrendered; the young vampire wailed out and thrashed around. She wanted me. She was trained to want to kill me, to hunt my scent and to hide her thoughts from Edward. "<p>

Charlie's eyes were all bugged out again.

He looked like an itty, bitty bug.

"Then Jane and some other members of the Volturi arrive, Jane tortured the young vampire, Bree, for more information. Carlisle being the compassionate, kind, loving person he is, offered to take responsibility for Bree; to help her learn the right way, to teach her how to be a vegetarian. But Jane of course refused the offer and Felix then kills Bree."

I shuddered and glanced back to Charlie and he was shaking his head slowly.

"Before the Volturi left they also promised to come back and check up on my mortality soon."

Chills, chills, chills!

Charlie resumed his stupid position, rest his head in his arm and his arms on his knees.

"But right before Felix destroyed Bree, she telepathically gave me all information she could possibly provide, including the guard's secret visit to Victoria and Riley."

Bella leaned her head away to look at Edward and sighed.

"I really wished we could have saved her." Bella said, sadly.

Edward nodded in agreement to Bella.

"So I go home to Charlie and I told him that I needed to go see Jacob. Charlie said that Carlisle was treating Jacob. Then Charlie told me that he felt like he was going to lose me soon and he asked for an advance notice before I left with Edward."

I looked over at Charlie yet again and he was looking down at his hands, but I could see his cheeks slightly raised.

He was smiling?

Never mind, I'll figure it out later.

"I leave and go to see poor injured Jacob. Jacob and I talked about me knowing that I was in love with him too, but that I was still choosing Edward. That, I would always choose Edward."

Edward smiled and kissed Bella on the temple again.

Jacob smiled up at the two of them.

"I have always loved Jacob but more like a brother. Jacob would have been my soul mate in this world, before he had changed into a wolf. In the human world; if there were no werewolves or vampires or shape shifters. But that is how the world is and even if it wasn't I would still be with Edward. I knew I cannot live without Edward. If I was born in 1901 when Edward was, Edward and I would have been soul mates then too. It's very complicated, but just like it is with Jacob and my little Nessie. They belong together just like Edward and I do."

I could feel my eyes prick with tears.

Charlie grumbled something but he had a smile on his face.

Edward smiled at us and Jacob hasn't stopped for a while now.

"Jacob reluctantly agreed to stop trying to come between Edward and I, and he assured me that he would be there if I ever needed him."

Jacob looked back up to Bella and Edward and nodded to the both of them.

Edward nodded back.

"I reviewed all the mistakes that I had made, each pain I had caused Jacob, each  
>wound I had given Edward; so much damage. Edward cradled me to him all night as I cried; I could see that I had made a huge mess of things; I was then determined to do things right for everyone."<p>

Charlie leaned back against the nasty couch.

Edward tightened his arms around my daughter again.

"I vowed that I would never let Edward see me shed another tear for Jacob again."

Bella turns her head a little to look at her husband; who quickly pecks her on the lips.

"Then Edward and I go to see Alice the next day to talk about the wedding plans and Alice was overjoyed; she showed me my wedding dress for the first time."

Bella smiled brightly and her eyes looked far away as she spoke again.

"Edward took me to our meadow after we left the main house. I told Edward that I had chosen my life and I wanted to start living it. We talked about a few other things that I am not going into detail with you but long story short Edward puts my ring back on my finger, where it has been ever since. We then leave to go tell Charlie about our engagement."

Charlie cracked a gentle smiled and I just had to smile too.

My daughter and her husband are too cute!

Jacob cleared his throat and then begins to speak, which surprised me greatly.

"I grieved deeply over losing Bella; it was painful to know she was giving up everything to become a vampire. At that time I thought she would be a monster. But anyways I knew it would be even more painful if she died."

Charlie and I both shuddered and my stupid icy chill returned.

"I received Bella's wedding announcement, along with a personal note from Edward."

Bella turns her head and looked over at Edward.

"I phased into a wolf and I ran away, letting Jacob Black disappear behind me."

I looked over to the clock again and oh my gosh it was only 6:45 pm!

It's only been a little over an hour and a half since Bella cooked, we ate and Edward and Jacob told us about the Volturi.

Goodness me, we are going to be here all night.


	15. Chapter 14

Chapter Forty-Three: The Denali's

I was still fuming over what time it was.

I thought it would at least be 8:00 or something; not stinking 6:45!

"Before we go any further into our story I would like to tell you about the Denali's" Edward's soothing voice brought me out of my internal banter.

Jacob looked up towards Edward and Bella before looking back at the lit up Christmas tree in the corner.

"I'm going to go check on Nessie, tuck her in and make sure she is asleep and not keeping Emmett entertained." Bella said and she stood from her seat on Edward's lap.

Edward smiled and nodded his head, before telling Bella something that was too low for me to hear.

"Of course." She smiled and went towards the kitchen.

"Aren't you taking the car?" I asked, suddenly confused again.

Bella turned and looked at me.

"No, I'll walk." She said softly.

Jacob snorted out a laugh.

What was so funny?!

It must be under 20 degrees Fahrenheit outside.

How far was the Cullen house from here again?

Maybe it's closer that I remember.

"Jake you wanna come?" Bella asked as she pulled on her jacket.

Jacob nodded vigorously and heaved a huge sigh as he stood up; making a mad dash for the back door.

Edward and Bella laughed lightly.

Bella reached over the back of the sofa and kissed Edward lightly on the lips; she then smiled at Charlie and I and then followed Jacob out of the kitchen's back door.

"Why did Jake want to get out of here so bad?" Charlie asked, bringing Edwards attention back to us.

"He was feeling a little uncomfortable from the last part of the story we told you and he wants to support Bella and myself but he is bored." Edward cracked a smile and laughed a little.

"After all he has heard and or lived through this all before. And kind of like vampires, werewolves have nearly perfect memory of everything. Only if they quiet phasing will the memories fade."

Charlie nodded and leaned back into the couch.

"What did you tell Bella before she left?" I asked

Edward's smile returned.

"I told her to let me know when she got home and to tell Nessie goodnight and that I love her."

Awe.

I smiled back at him.

Charlie sighed and stretched out his legs in front of him, crossing his ankles.

A low vibrate filled the air and Edward fished his phone out of his pocket.

He looked down at his cell phone and quickly texted something before putting his phone back in his pocket.

"That was Bella she's home and will be back within 20 minutes." Edward answered my unspoken question.

How did she get there so fast?

Did Jacob turn into a wolf and have her a ride?

Really how did she get there so fast?

I felt like someone was keeping something from me again.

I looked over at Charlie and his face showed nothing!

Grrr, whatever, I'll figure it out later.

Maybe.

Edward cleared his throat before he continued the story about the Denali's.

I think that's what he said their name was.

"The Denali coven is the third largest vampire coven in the world."

The word vampire sent chills down my spine again.

Yep I was right about the name!

"The Denali family now consists of only five; Kate, Garrett, Carmen, Eleazar, and Tanya."

Charlie reached next to him and took a drink from the long forgotten water glass.

I quickly looked over where I had sat mine and was over joyed it was still there.

I happy took a sip.

"Like I said earlier today, the Denali's had 9 members total but not all at the same time. They have lost a couple members of their family Sasha and Irina. Also a couple of non-official members, Vasilii and Laurent."

Laurent?

The bad vampire did Laurent?

I looked at Edward and he nodded.

I'm getting good at this mind reading stuff!

Charlie looked between Edward and I but said nothing.

Whatever.

"The Denali family is one of the only two known vegetarian vampire covens in the world, the other being our family, of course. They are very, very close to us, being one of our most loyal allies, we really consider ourselves their extended family."

Oh that's right he said something about them earlier.

Duh Renee! Pay attention.

"The Denali's live alongside humans without too much trouble at all. They have great control. However, they haven't always been."

Chills.

Why does it have to me chills.

I glanced over at Charlie but he seemed un-phased by everything.

I held the urge back from rolling my eyes.

"The Denali coven was founded around 1000 AD in Slovakia, they now live in Denali, Alaska, again and they have lived in Denali for a very, very long time now; which is where they revived their clan name. Also Denali was their clan founder's, Sasha's last name."

Wow they are old!

Wait what?

"Sasha was responsible for transforming Tanya, Kate and Irina into vampires. They consider Sasha their mother and one another as sisters."

Oh.

I wondered what they looked like.

I felt my head tilt to the side as I listened to Edward continue.

"All three were changed around the same century. But at an unknown time, Sasha secretly created an immortal child, Vasilii."

Oh no.

Edward said that's a very, very big no no.

"When the Volturi found out, they came to destroy the entire family but Aro chose to spare the sisters, since they knew nothing about the child. Sasha and Vasilii, however, were destroyed."

How sad.

I'm really scared of the Volturi.

Oh my!, is that a bug on the wall!

Eww! Eww! Eww! Eww! Eww!

Edward cleared his throat and I looked back over at him, feeling bad I got distracted.

Edward smiled and nodded his head.

Oh my goodness I have ADD.

Charlie glanced over at me quickly, before looking back at our son-in-law.

"After Sasha was executed by the Volturi, Tanya assumed leadership of the coven."

Charlie shifted his weight again and re-crossed his legs.

"The three sisters; Tanya, Kate, and Irina; then searched for pleasurable company of men to deal with their loss, and subsequently they are the originators of the "succubus" legend; a demon in the form of a beautiful woman who has sexual intercourse with men before killing them."

Charlie's eyes widened so wide he looked like a Charlie Bug!

But I'm sure mine were about as big and my mouth on the ground.

I quickly shut my mouth remembering the creepy bug on the wall.

I shuddered at the thought.

"Eventually, they grew lonely over the years by the scarred pain of their deceased mother and some of the men they'd killed. Tanya decided to try a vegetarian diet to see if she could gain control to avoid killing men while sleeping with them. The method proved effective, and Kate and Irina joined her."

Charlie still looked shell shocked.

I was still a little disturbed by the whole thing.

"The sisters then relocated to Denali for its wide population of animals, and they learned to avoid killing men during sexual intercourse over the centuries."

Charlie grimaced but sat back against the sofa.

The nasty sofa.

He really needed to get this couch cleaned.

Or replaced.

"They aren't really succubi anymore. The only single one left is Tanya and since they started the vegetarian life style the sisters slowly stopped seeking out human men. Now that Kate has a mate, I don't know what Tanya is up too and I don't think she would go seeking out men by herself. But knowing Tanya's love of a challenge, you never know."

Charlie took another drink of his water and I copied him with mine.

"At some point, Carmen and her mate Eleazar, a former guard to the Volturi, found the three sisters and stayed with them to test their lifestyle, eventually joining their family. Also at an unknown time, they met Carlisle, and from then on out, our covens have been strong allies and close friends for over a century. Like I said earlier, we actually prefer to think of each other as cousins due to our similar diet and everything else."

Charlie's movement caught my eye again.

But I quickly looked back over at Edward as he continued.

"The Denali family has two members with unique gifts. Kate has a psychic electrokinesis, she can shock you just by touching you. Well she can't shock Bella but everyone else gets a nasty electric shock."

I don't know if I want to meet Kate.

Oh wait I did at the wedding!

I think.

"And Eleazar has the ability of identification. He can look at a vampire or a human and tell what kind of gift that person has or doesn't have."

Cool!

Charlie leaned forward again, with his elbows in his knees and his hand in his hands.

He really needed to hold still.

"Tanya unfortunately developed feeling for me; romantic feelings; not deep at all, and it was more a challenge than anything else, which I of course did not reciprocate and I tried to avoid her and above all being caught in a room alone with her."

Edward grimaced before continuing.

"Anyways Laurent went to stay with the Denali's after leaving James' coven and he was ready for a change in his life, which happened when he and Irina fall in for each other, a very brief romantic flirtation. But at one point, however, he returned to Forks as a favor to Victoria, to 'get the lay of the land for her' so that she could hunt my Bella."

I noticed how he said his Bella.

It was very sweet.

I wish Phil did and said things like that.

"While he was here, he ran into Bella in the middle of hunting. When he is about to kill her personally, Sam's Pack killed him before he could get to her."

I shuddered again; thinking of the giant wolves and about how close my daughter was to being...

Was eaten the write word?

Never mind.

"Two months later, we called for aid from the Denali's after finding out that Victoria was creating an army of newborns to destroy us and kill Bella. The Denali's agreed to help us, but at Irina's request to avenge Laurent's death by wiping out the pack. Carlisle of course immediately refused to allow this, and then the Denali's abandoned us."

How rude!

Oh my gosh the bug moved again.

Edward sighed, stood up and went into the kitchen.

He came back out with a paper towel and picked up the bug and went back into the kitchen.

I heard the door open and shut before he came back in and retook his seat on the sofa.

The clean sofa.

Edward is officially my hero, he killed the bug!

"Actually Renee I just let it go in the backyard. It was just a little moth."

I smiled over at Edward and nodded before looking over at Charlie, who was un-phased by the whole ordeal.

Edward chuckled before continuing.

"Anyways, as we told you earlier we had to form an alliance with the pack and we successfully killed Victoria and destroyed her army."

Charlie nodded as he listened and he re-crossed his legs again.

"The Denali's later felt immensely guilty about abandoning us and soon after the battle, the Denali's, except Irina, attend mine and Bella's wedding and got to meet Bella for the first time."

Oh yeah.

Duh Renee you did meet them.

What was I thinking?!

I smiled as Edward continued.

"The coven then suffered another loss: Irina, again at the hands of the Volturi; which I will explain later. Also at that difficult time, they were joined by Garrett, who had formed an attachment, a mating bond with Kate."

Edward sighed after he finished the last sentence.

He looked towards the kitchen and the back door.

No more than ten seconds passed before Jacob and Bella walked through and back into the living room; where Charlie, Edward and I were still sitting.

Bella smiled and handed both Charlie and I a plate wrapped in cling wrap.

I didn't even notice her having something in her hands!

I pulled off the cling wrap and almost gasped.

There sitting in the center of the red dessert plate was the most perfect piece of pie I've ever seen.

It was looked like a fluffy white cream pie but more firm!

The crust and the light crumble on top had to be gingerbread and there was light red swirls in the pie.

It looked like a dream.

Charlie's face broke out into an all-out grin and took a bite with the fork that was wrapped up with the delectable piece of pie.

"Oh my..." The rest of his thought was lost in his grumble.

"Be sure to thank Esme; she out did herself again." Charlie said as he swallowed.

So it kind of sound like mumble, mumble, mumble, moan, grumble.

Bella smiled brightly.

"Will do. Sue's piece is in the kitchen and Seth and Leah were pigging out when we got back to the main house."

Charlie chuckled and shoved another bite into his mouth.

What am I doing?!

I haven't started eating my pretty piece of pie.

I took my fork and pulled a bite up to my mouth.

Oh my gosh!

It's not pie!

It's a peppermint cheesecake with a cinnamon gingerbread crust crumble thing!

"Esme made this?!" I asked with my mouth full.

Bella laughed and nodded her head.

"Yes mom, from scratch. Esme is an amazing cook and baker."

Edward smiled and pulled Bella closer to him and started whispering something to her and she was answering him back quietly.

I looked over at Jacob and he was scarfing down a piece of cake.

I'm in the dark again!

And my cake is running out!

"Sorry Renee, I was just asking Bella how Nessie was and if she was asleep. I'm just really used to talking low around her and the family."

Edward explained quickly.

Charlie groaned happily beside me and placed his plate next to his now empty water glass.

I finished my cake and handed Charlie the plate and fork to put with his.

"So let's continue."

Bella clapped her hands together as she said this.

I glanced quickly at the clock an reframed from groaning. It was only 7:15.

This was never gonna end but I wanted to know everything there was to know about what is going on.


	16. Chapter 15

Chapter Forty-Four: Breaking Dawn Part One

"The next few weeks flew by very quickly."

I miss my cake.

I looked over at Charlie and he looked really content; he was slumped out on the couch, his legs stretched out, hands resting on his stomach and a smirk on his face.

"Alice was busy making preparations for the wedding. You guess gave your blessing for our marriage and I was grieving over my truck; which I suspected had a little help dying."

I turned my attention back to my daughter.

Bella glared over at Edward, who smirked and sunk his head in his shoulders, looking extremely guilty.

Edward killed her truck?

Never mind that truck was horrible anyways.

Edward leaned over and kissed Bella's temple as she continued her story.

"I felt so conspicuous in my 'before' car. The big, black Mercedes guardian. I didn't know whether to see it as either a sign of compassion and caring or as an over-protectiveness and worrying about my safety. It could literally be ran over by a tank and have flamethrowers blaring on it and it wouldn't do damage."

Wow!

Bella would need that car though.

Edward snickered and earned a look from Bella.

Jacob looked up at the couple and rolled his eyes, before looking back at his empty plate.

Oh, he was sad that his cake was gone too.

"That car was for temporary use until I was changed into a vampire, when I would not need the protection, and then he would replace it with a red Ferrari, that was hidden under a sheet in the garage at the time. And at that time I didn't know what kind of car it was nor did I really care."

Vampire?

I don't really like that word.

It gives me a strange chill that starts at the base of my neck and goes all the way down to my tailbone.

"I was constantly seeing the 'HAVE YOU SEEN THIS BOY' posters for Jacob, who at the time was still missing. I felt guilty about Jacob, believing that my rejection caused him to run away."

I looked down at Jacob and he was now looking towards the little plastic tree again.

"The night before our wedding, Edward was worried about all that I was _'giving up'_."

Giving up?

What would she be giving up?

Oh never mind.

I think I remember what he said about it.

Kids, growing old, thing like that?

I looked up at Edward as I thought it and he nodded.

"I was worried about tripping in my wedding gown and fall down the stairs; also about meeting Tanya and the Denali clan."

I surprisingly held back my laugh at the image in my head.

"A few nights before then though, Carlisle had explained that the Denali's mother was destroyed by the Volturi for creating an immortal child and all that intended. Edward explained all that to you."

Chills!

They're back!

"Our wedding day had arrived and I was nervous. But not about marrying Edward, just the whole ceremony."

Edward smiled and kissed Bella's head again.

"Edward was keeping the honeymoon destination a secret and that was driving me mad."

Yep!

That would be enough to drive you crazy.

"Alice and Rosalie worked all day on my makeup and hair."

But she did look beautiful.

Edward nodded and brought Bella's left hand up to his lips and kissed all of her knuckles.

Awe he is so sweet.

I wish Phil was like him.

Oh well.

"And then you guys gave me the beautiful set of silver hair combs and then Alice went off her checklist."

I smiled and looked over at Charlie and he had that sly little smirk of his back on his face.

"Then dad escorts me down the stairs and down the makeshift aisle."

Edward's movements caught my eye again; he rested his head on top of Bella's head and closed his eyes.

"As soon as I saw Edward at the altar, all my fears were gone."

Edward smiled sweetly and tightened his grip on my daughter, pulling her onto his lap.

"The reception was in the backyard, at twilight. Buy you know that too."

I smiled at Bella; it was such a beautiful wedding.

Charlie groaned as he sat up and leaned back against the couch and crossed his legs.

Glad he was comfy.

"Edward and I greeted our guests and I met the Denali Coven for the first time. It wasn't as bad as I thought it was going to be."

Jacob squirmed on my floor and shifted his weight to sit indian style.

Ha ha ha indian style.

He is a Quileute Indian!

Ha ha ha.

Good one Renee!

"As you know we had all the standard wedding traditions."

Yes, yes we know this.

"We had our first dance, the father daughter dance, and more dancing."

Yes, yes.

Lots of dancing!

I felt a smile appear on my face.

I loved to dance,

Phil hated it.

"Cutting cake; Which Edward manly swallowed his bite of cake."

Oh I bet he had to up chuck that later!

Ew!

Oh, sorry.

Edward smiled softly, his eyes still closed.

"Throwing the bouquet; I was shocked that I had made it into the crowd at all and was happy when Angela caught it."

I liked Angela!

I think…

Did I meet her?

Yes!

Yes I did and she was lovely and sweet.

Wait what was Bella saying.

Oh good I didn't miss anything.

"Throwing the garter; Jasper and Emmett howled in laughter as Edward ducked under my dress to retrieve my borrowed garter, which I had shimmed down to nearly my ankle. He griped it very carefully with his teeth and he winked at me before he shot it right into Mike Newton's face! Priceless."

The marshmallow!

I don't like him.

Edward smirked and nodded his head in agreement.

"Edward was horrified that Alice didn't let me see myself in the mirror earlier that morning so I had no idea what I looked like and when Edward showed me I was speechless. In my thoughts I finally looked like I was supposed to be standing next to him."

I rolled my eyes.

Oh Bella.

"Jacob then steps out from the woods into Edward's hearing range and Edward took me over to him; Edward left so Jacob and I could talk alone. Bad idea."

Jacob flinched and looked from the little plastic Christmas tree to the front window.

I don't really think he was looking at anything.

"I was very relieved that Jacob had decided to come after all. He was still my best friend. But somewhere in the conversation he found out that Edward and I were going to make love while I was still human. Jacob being Jacob was horrified even at the idea to hear that I was planning a real honeymoon before I became a vampire"

I shivered at the word vampire but I have a feeling Charlie shivered at a completely different word.

Jacob scooted a little further from Edward and Bella.

Now he was sitting in front of the little table next to the couch with the lamp on it.

"Anyways, he grabs me and starts to shakes me. Edward was there instantly."

Charlie glared down at Jacob, who scooted a little closer to the window.

Charlie actually sat up to glare at Jacob.

Ohh glad I'm not Jacob.

"Jacob was ready to kill him. Seth and two other wolves shoved Jacob back into the woods."

Charlie made a weird grunting noise before leaning back against the nasty couch.

Good boy Seth!

"I quickly composed myself and Edward and I go back to the reception, like nothing happened."

Good.

Wait, what?

That all happened during the reception?!

"Luckily, only the wolves, the Cullen's and the Denali's heard the argument."

Wow!

"I say goodbye to you guys and then Edward and I leave for our honeymoon. First we take a plane to Houston, a second one to Rio de Janeiro, and then a boat to Isle Esme."

Isle Esme?

What's Isle Esme?

"What's Isle Esme?" I asked my question out loud.

"Isle Esme is a small island that Carlisle got Esme as a wedding anniversary present a few decades ago."

Wow!

I want an island.

No never mind, too much to clean.

"Anyways, Edward carried me across the threshold and sets our bags down. Then he goes for a midnight swim and waits for me in the water."

Oh how romantic!

"I took a shower to calm myself down and remind myself that if it wasn't Edward, I could not have done this."

I wonder if she will give any details!

Edward opened his eyes to look at me.

He looked slightly horrified.

What?

Oh he must of heard something from Charlie or Jacob.

Well it couldn't have been from me.

Edward sighs deeply before closing his eyes again.

"Of course Edward being his overprotective self was afraid of hurting me. But I told him not to worry that we belong together. Which we do. We fit together like corresponding puzzle pieces."

Awe!

Romance!

I love it!

I wish Phil was romantic!

But no, his idea of a romantic evening was a fancy Chinese restaurant and a movie.

"The next morning, I wake up to a feeling of pure happiness and fullness. Feeling complete for the first time in my life."

Aw, no details.

Oh well.

I am so glad she's so happy.

"Then Edward goes and ruins my morning by being angry at himself. He points out the bruises all over me body; he berates himself for hurting me."

Edward's peaceful face turns into a slight grimace and then he buried his face in Bella's neck.

I looked over at Jacob and he was still sitting next to the little table.

"I couldn't remember when he held me too close or too tight. I just remembered wanting him closer and for him to hold me tighter. I insisted that I was fine, which I was and I wanted Edward to make love to me again."

Charlie looked extremely uncomfortable and Jacob had his nose all scrunched up.

"I tried to convince him again that I was fine, that I was happy. I was covered in feathers but I was overjoyed."

Feathers?

What about feathers?

Did I miss something?

"I bit a couple of pillows Renee and there was feathers everywhere."

Edward's voice rang around the room, but his face was still buried in my daughter's neck.

"Edward gets up to fix breakfast for me, and then I asked him if he plans to avoid touching me for the rest of the honeymoon."

What?!

"He was still horrified that he had bruised me while making love. He vowed not to make love with me again until I had been turned."

Oh bummer.

Wait what?!

Turned into what?!

A vampire?!

Oh man how long has Bella not been getting any?

Ohh, I bet she has made him cave.

"I knew it would be hard but I eventually succeeded in getting him to make love again. But in the meantime I knew he would do anything to get me completely tired during the day."

I was right!

Go Renee!

"And boy was I right! Edward kept me so busy with snorkeling, hiking, swimming, exploring, sunsets and all kinds of board and card games, that I was exhausted at the end of every day."

Poor Bella.

"But I tried and I tried to seduce Edward with lingerie, bribes, and compromises. Still nothing."

Charlie was squirming again and shifted to the far end of the sofa.

The clean sofa.

"You don't know how hard that was for me! To deny you something you desperately wanted and need. What I needed!" Edward said as he looked up, smiled and kisses the top of Bella's head.

"Anyways I kept having nightmares about the Volturi and a vampire child, and beautiful dreams."

Volturi!

Hate that word.

It's worse than the word vampire.

"I woke up crying one night, I wanted Edward so much. I pleaded with him and kissed him and he finally gave in."

Ha ha ha!

Good job Bella!

"We make love for the second time. Beautiful love."

AWE!

Charlie made a squeaky sound and squirmed again.

"Edward and I were both happy in the morning. One, we finally got what we both wanted and two Edward did not place on bruise on me. But he did break the headboard."

He broke the headboard?!

I looked over at Charlie and he looked green.

His eyes were all buggy and he looked like he had sucked on the sourest lemon.

Edward's eyes widened and he looked whiter than normal, if that was at all possible.

He ducked down and whispered something to Bella.

It was her turn to get all wide eyed.

"What?!"

Edward flinched.

"What do you mean you forgot to replace the headboard?! You're a vampire how did you forget?!"

Bella shouts and Edward just kinda gave her a small smile and whispered something to her again and she nodded.

Bella took a deep breath and sighed.

"I understand. I kinda forgot too with all the chaos. But we have to get it fixed before Carlisle and Esme go next month." Bella says calmly and quietly; I almost didn't hear all of it.

Edward smiled and kissed her forehead.

"I will take care of it the day after Christmas." He murmured his promise.

Bella smiled back and kissed him lightly on the lips.

"What chaos?" Charlie asked the question that was buzzing around in my head.

Bella shook her head calmly.

"Nothing to worry about now. We will get to the chaos a little later this evening."

Charlie nodded and groaned and he leaned back on the couch.

Well I'm glad he was happy with the answer.

I wasn't.

"So that morning I was woozy, but it passed quickly and I didn't think much about it. Then the Brazilian cleaning people came."

They had to clean up all the feathers?!

"The native woman suspects what Edward is and she was frightened for me."

What?!

"I later noticed that I was getting unusual illnesses and changes of appetite, but I didn't make anything of it."

I cocked my head to the side and then looked over at Charlie and he looked to be computing something.

Weirdo.

"Edward and I spent the next spent the rest of our honeymoon acting like any normal honeymoon couple. Well we were probably more extreme."

Charlie made another weird face.

Then Bella's eyes widened again and she hid her face in Edward's neck.

Edward laughed and whispered softly to my daughter, she lifted her head and began talking again.

"Later I woke up from another dream about the Volturi and the beautiful child. Edward was gone he had went hunting on the mainland. We had been there over two weeks so I knew he would have to go soon."

Charlie looked over at Edward and Edward shook his head.

"No, I didn't want to impact the number of the animals on the island. I went to the main land and ran to a deep part of the jungle in Rio."

Edward said, answering Charlie's question I guess.

"I was hot, sweaty and hungry. I fixed myself some fried chicken but it tastes wrong so I threw it out."

Oh!

I hate being hot!

"When Edward gets home I start throwing up. After seeing a bag of unused tampons that's when all the pieces fall into place and I realized  
>I must be pregnant."<p>

Pregnant?

Nessie?

How fast?

What?!

Edward sighed deeply and his exhale was really shaky.

"Before we tell you anything more; you must understand I love my daughter with everything I am but I was thinking purely of protecting my mate, my everything. My Bella."

I suddenly felt very scared.

What was about to be unfolded from this story?

I looked over at Charlie and he had not one ounce of emotion on his face.

He could have given me something!

Edward kissed Bella's cheek and she continued where she had left off.

"I touched my stomach and instead of my normal flat belly, I had a tiny but defined baby bump. I also felt a little nudge."

Charlie shifted again and slouched further down into the nasty sofa.

Seriously when was the last time he had this thing cleaned.

"When I looked over at Edward, he was stunned, not moving. He was frozen in place."

I looked over at Edward and he was staring at Bella's hands, playing with her fingers.

"As soon as I found out I was pregnant and started to picture my perfect baby, my beautiful family; I then received a phone call from Alice, and I asked her to hand the phone to Carlisle. I told him my theory and he asked some medical questions and agreed that I was indeed pregnant."

I could feel myself becoming hot.

Was it hot in here or is it just me?

"Edward snapped out of his shock and started making travel arrangements while he hurriedly packed up all of our belongings. I didn't want to leave and I didn't understand why Edward seemed so furious, he always wanted me to have every experience and he wanted children also but never thought it was possible."

I looked over at Charlie again.

Was he hot?

Why am I so hot?!

Edward whispered something to Bella then placed her off his lap and onto the sofa; he then disappeared into the kitchen.

Everyone was looking towards the kitchen where Edward had went; he came back through with two glasses of water and handed them the Charlie and I.

I took a long sipped and thanked him mentally.

He nodded and sat back down next to my daughter.

"Anyways, I felt another nudge and was surprised at how much I already loved my little nudger."

Aw!

She already loved her baby!

Oh my gosh, I feel so much better.

Thank God for water!

"Edward told me not to be afraid, that he wouldn't let the…the thing hurt me."

What?!

"He realized that, in his mind that what was growing inside of me, needed to be killed. Edward feared that the pregnancy would kill me, and, unable to stand the thought, he tried to convince me into having an abortion."

Charlie grumbled something and Edward flinched.

Edward whispered something else in Bella's ear and kissed her temple, her forehead, her cheek.

Everywhere he could reach from how he was sitting.

Bella smiled up at her husband and whispered something to him that made him smile.

I felt out of the loop again.

"However, I felt a bond with my unborn child and insisted on giving birth. I would never kill a child. Especially my child, mine and Edward's child."

Edward kissed Bella's temple and whispered something else to her.

I really wished these people spoke louder!

I was missing everything!

"I snuck a phone call to Rosalie to ask for help, while Edward took a load of stuff out to the boat."

Why Rosalie?

"Why Rosalie?" I asked, out loud.

Bella sighed quickly.

"Rose has always wanted a baby, so I knew she would protect mine, even if I didn't make it out alive. I knew my baby would be safe."

Edward grimaced and looked over at her and shook his head, but smiled all the same.

"Edward immediately took me back to Forks where he and Carlisle could abort the baby, but I asked Rosalie to protect me as I had already learned to love my child. So as soon as we arrived at the airport in Port Angeles, I ran straight to Rosalie."

Jacob looked up at Edward and Bella.

I looked over at them too, they seemed pretty shaken up.

"My baby developed at an extremely fast rate, and I became very sick. I became unable to adjust food, and I was indeed dying slowly."

Bella said the last very quietly and Edward wrapped his arms around her and started talking to her slowly.

Jacob cleared his throat and stood up and moved to sit on the couch next to Bella and Edward.

The clean couch.

"I think it would be best if I told the story for a while. Edward, I'm sure will cut in and out and add things that happened when I wasn't there."

Edward nodded towards Jacob.

I guess in agreement.

"Like I said before, you must understand I love my daughter with everything I am but I was thinking purely of protecting my mate, my everything, my Bella." Edward said sweetly.

I nodded slowly and looked over at Charlie, he was nodding slowly also.

I turned back to look at my daughter.

Bella who was sitting in between Edward and Jacob was looking down at her hands, which were placed on her lap.

Jacob cleared his throat again.

"While Edward and Bella were on their honeymoon Paul imprinted on my sister, Rachel, and no one but Rachel and Paul were pleased. Paul is annoying everyone."

Charlie made a grunting sound.

Oh great now on top of making stupid faces, he is making stupid noises too!

"I was waiting to hear about Bella; if she was home, if she was still human."

Chill!

Wait.

What?

I sighed and took another drink of the water had gotten me.

"Anyways I spent an afternoon with Quil and Claire and was watching their imprinting bond when Sam called a pack meeting; Edward and Bella had returned home."

I placed my glass on the little table next to the sofa.

The nasty sofa.

"At first I felt like the treaty had been broken and that we should attack. Sam declared that the Cullen's are not a danger."

Charlie nodded, I guess to his self.

"Then I decided to kill Edward on my own." Jacob muttered under his breath and Bella punches him on his upper arm.

You could hear a cracking sound.

I guess it was from her knuckles.

"Ow!" Jacob hissed and flinched away from her as he held his arm.

Bella harshly whispered something to Jacob and he flinched even further.

He mouthed something to her, but Bella had a look on her face that chilled me to the bone and that I will never get out of my mind.

If looks could kill, Jacob would be on the floor.

Jacob said something else under his breath and Bella turned her head away from him quickly, crossed her legs and then her arms acrossed her chest.

Edward pulled her onto his lap again and she relaxed into his arms, but still wouldn't make eye contact with anyone, but Edward.

She was pissed.

I looked over at Charlie and it didn't seem to faze him at all.

He had his legs stretched out again in front of him and his arms resting acrossed his chest.

Jacob moved and popped his arm and continued.

"So, anyways Carlisle met me at the door, and Bella called to me from inside. That's when I saw Edward. He looked like he was in agony, half-crazed, like someone tortured his soul."

Bella placed her right hand on Edward's cheek, her engagement ring, which she wore in her right hand; she wore her wedding band on her left hand though of course; but her engagement ring was gleaming in the light from the Christmas tree.

Wait.

What?

I shook my head quickly and focused back on Jacob.

"I looked over further and I saw Bella. She was still human but looked sick and haggard. She was pregnant."

Charlie shifted yet again.

He moved into his stupid position again; where his head rested in his hands and his elbows rested on his knees.

I really wished he would hold still.

"Edward took me outside to talk. Edward looked like a man being burned at the stake; he knew it was all his fault and at the time he had no idea that that could happen."

I fought back a yawn and leaned back.

Might as well make myself comfortable.

"Blondie was protecting Bella and wouldn't let anyone near her."

Who?

"Rosalie." Edward answered my silent question.

I nodded.

Rosalie is blonde!

"Edward had asked me to talk to Bella, to tell her she could have a baby with me."

Wait!

What?!

"Wait what?!" I asked out loud.

I guess it was a little too loud cause Charlie jumped.

"Edward asked me to try to convince Bella to kill the baby that was killing her, but Bella refused, because she loves the baby."

Edward flinched and looked over at Jacob.

"I don't think you could have said that anymore harsh than you just did."

Edward practically growled at Jacob.

I looked over at Charlie and he was just sitting there like nothing was happening.

I gasped, not knowing what to say, let alone think.

"Edward would do anything to protect Bella, even that."

Edward nodded, sadly and hugged Bella even closer.

"I knew Bella would reject me"

Well duh!

Edward snickered and everyone looked over at him.

He whispered something and Bella laughed and Jacob just smiled wider.

Charlie shrugged and leaned back, finally out of his stupid position.

"Edward promised me that the moment that Bella's heart stops beating, that he would beg me to kill him."

Chills!

I really don't like the thought of that.

"I told him that we had a deal."

More chills!

"I go back in side and Bella and I spoke privately."

Oh well I bet that went well!

I rolled my eyes and crossed my legs.

"Bella believed that I would imprint on someone and everything would make sense."

Well didn't it?

I looked over at Edward and he nodded.

I smiled to myself.

I am so glad he can read minds, makes life easier and I don't get any dirty looks from Charlie and others.

"Bella didn't expect to survive her pregnancy as a human."

Chills shot down my spine.

Bella shifted her weight to sit up against the arm rest and draped her legs acrossed Edward's legs, leaning her head on his shoulder.

"Bella understood what Edward had sent me to offer, and wouldn't consider it for a second."

Edward leaned over and kissed Bella's forehead.

I really wished Phil will kiss me on my forehead and whisper sweet nothings to me!

"I felt a stronger addiction to be near Bella, but I wanted to leave. When I phased the pack heard and saw everything that was in my mind."

Ohh creepy.

I wonder what it's like to be a wolf.

"Do you see in black and white or color?"

My question came out of my mouth like word vomit!

Everyone looked over at me.

They looked at me like I was crazy!

"I see in color, all the time." Jacob said each word slowly.

I nodded and slumped down into the nasty couch.

I was so very embarrassed.

"Well, anyways, later the pack decided the risk of this new creature was too great, that they would attack the Cullen's. Sam planned out our strategy, and he used the Alpha voice to ensure obedience in everybody. Including me."

I cocked my head to the side.

I really should just listen.

"I struggled against Sam's order to obey. I am the true Alpha, I was not born to kneel to Sam and then I broke from the pack."

Ohh cool!

Go Alpha.

Go Alpha.

Go Alpha.

"I would stand between the pack and the Cullen's."

Bella closed her eyes and smiled.

"I left the others to warn the Cullen's and Seth broke free from the pack and joined me. Seth and I patrolled the Cullen's land together."

I like Seth.

I really, really like Seth.

Edward smiled and nodded.

I guess he does too!

"Bella's conditioned worsened and then _my_ situation worsened, Leah breaks away from the pack also and joined Seth and I."

Leah really seems like a downer.

Edward nodded again.

Bella opened her eyes and looked at him.

He smiled at her and she smiled back, closing her eyes again.

"Why didn't you want Leah with you and Seth?" Charlie asked Jacob.

Jacob laughed slightly.

"One Leah is irritating; two I at the time didn't want to lead a pack and three Leah wanted to be free of Sam."

Charlie nodded and leaned further back onto the couch.

"Carlisle and I talked later on and Carlisle was frustrated because he couldn't figure out what the fetus wanted."

Poor Carlisle.

"I had a thought about blood, and Edward of course heard the thought and shared it with the others. Bella agreed to give blood a try."

Eww!

I shuddered and looked over at Charlie.

He had his nose crinkled up but didn't really show any emotion.

"I stayed with Bella, I didn't want to miss the last few minutes of her life; I felt that my presence helped Bella. We figured out much later that my presence was helping Nessie and that helped Bella."

I cocked my head to the side.

It must be an imprint thing.

Maybe?

"Bella drinks a cup of donated human blood and it tasted good her, and she immediately feels stronger."

Charlie grumbled something but didn't say anything.

"But it also makes the baby so strong that it breaks Bella's ribs by accident." Jacob said that last part kind of quiet.

Well quiet for him.

"Later I was called to a meeting with some of Sam's pack and they wanted Seth, Leah and myself to rejoin them, but we all three said 'no'. At the time I thought the Alpha bond was gonna be permanent and I was right."

Chills!

What is gonna happen next?

Well what _could_ happen next?

"When I got back to the Cullen's, Bella was so much better."

I sighed and sat up a little straighter.

Bella was better in the story, that's good.

I was actually freaking out a little bit earlier.

"Rosalie and I were, basically at each other's throats."

Edward laughed.

"Well yeah because Jacob started taunting Rosalie with blonde jokes. Rose had a short temper to begin with and on top of Jake's jokes and his wet dog smile, Rose was a walking time bomb."

Bella laughs at what Edward said and Jacob smiled lightly.

Jacob cleared his throat and continued the story.

"Then the baby broke one of Bella's ribs."

Didn't he already say that?

Never mind, it doesn't matter.

"Little pixie Alice was getting headaches if she was anywhere near or around Bella."

I cocked my head to the side.

Why?

I looked over at Edward.

Why?

He sighed and sat up a little bit.

"Alice was getting headaches around Bella because she couldn't see Bella's future because of Nessie. She can't see werewolves and she can't see hybrids. It has to do with genes and stuff like that."

I nodded, kind of understanding.

I really didn't want him to get a scientific with me.

I glanced over at Charlie and he was just staring in Jacob's direction.

"Anyways Alice felt better if she sat near Jacob." Edward finished and leaned further back on the couch.

The clean couch.

Why do they get the clean couch?!

Edward sighed, deeply.

Jacob cleared his throat yet again and started talking.

"The Cullen's gave us food and fresh clothes. Seth and I accept, but Leah didn't."

I wonder why Leah's problem was?

I looked back over at Charlie and he was still focused on Jacob and the story.

"Bella and Charlie talk on the phone; neither Edward nor I condones this."

Charlie leaned forward a bit further at the sound of his name.

"Wow Jacob! Condoned, that's an awfully big word!" Bella teased Jacob.

She earned a dirty look and a stuck out tongue from Jacob.

Bella laughed and Jacob smiled and continued.

"Bella asked for me and her face lights up again when she sees me. I was still her best friend. Well, her best guy friend, other than Edward."

Edward tightened his arms around Bella's waist and she leaned back against him.

"I sat next to Bella to keep her warm and Rosalie brought me food in a dog dish."

Bella giggled lightly and said.

"Yeah and she carved the word 'Fido' in the bowl with her finger nail!"

Bella doubled over on Edward's lap and laughed.

"Yeah, yeah laugh it up."

Jacob rolled his eyes but smiled all the same.

Charlie actually chuckled and a sly smirk appeared under his caterpillar of a mustache.

"Anyways! Bella said that Carlisle thought the baby would be born within four days."

I uncrossed my legs and then crossed them the again the other way.

"I felt my ties to Bella get even stronger; but at the time I didn't know it was because of little Nessie."

I am still trying the compute the whole imprinting thing, but I think it is very sweet and eventually romantic!

I think it's cool that Nessie and Jacob's bond was so strong it made him be attached to Bella before she was even conceived.

Edward smiled and nodded.

"Bella thought that I was supposed to be in her life, but not like this—like we got off track somehow and we did. It was my fault that I pushed her, insisting that I was in love with her. I do love her but in the right way now that Nessie is born."

Edward nodded his head again.

Charlie and I both nodded in agreement also.

Charlie made another weird noise and crossed his legs again.

"Anyways Edward told me about all the old myths that say vampire babies chew their way out of their mother's womb."

Chills!

They're back!

I shuddered and leaned back into the nasty couch.

"My pack was protecting the Cullens' land. We still kinda do actually.

I felt myself smile.

I looked over at Charlie and he had a small smile on his face too.

"I congratulated Leah on being less annoying than Paul and Leah though that I makes a good Alpha. I taught Leah how to better enjoy eating as a wolf."

Ew!

I shuddered again and then further in the couch.

"All the Cullen's go hunting except Edward and Rosalie and Alice."

I looked over and saw Edward kissing Bella's temple again.

"Edward then hears the baby's thoughts for the first time

What?

"What?" I asked out loud.

Jacob sighed and started to explain it to me again.

"The baby eventually wins Edward over; when old enough and once the baby's mind had developed enough; the baby was able to let Edward hear her thoughts, and he was both shocked and delighted to find out that the baby already loved the two of them. The baby was happy, safe and warm and she absolutely adored Bella. He instantly loved the baby."

Awe

What a beautiful moment.

"When I heard my daughter's thoughts for the first time, I knew she wasn't what those horrible, despicable legends said that the child would be. I knew that she was a baby, our baby. Her soul was and is just as beautiful as her mother's."

Edward said, sweetly; looking in Bella's eyes.

"And her father's." Bella added and Edward smiled, kissing her forehead.

"Yes and just like mine."

Bella smiled and kissed Edward lips lightly.

Jacob smiled at the two of them.

"I knew then, that Edward could never hate anyone who loved Bella, which is why Edward did not hate me."

Edward laughed.

"Yeah that is true Jacob. You were and still are a pain in my side."

Jacob pouted his lips out and Edward laughed harder; Bella joining quietly also.

Edward reached over and placed one of his hands on Jacob's shoulder and looked him dead in the eye.

Edward said something too quiet for me to hear but Jacob smiled and it practically lit up the room.

"And I wouldn't have it any other way, my brother."

Jacob smiled and clapped Edward on the back with his hand.

Bella just smiled at the two.

I looked over at Charlie and he was smiling also.

I looked back over at the trio on the clean couch and smiled too.

Jacob looked back over to Charlie and I; and he continued the story.

"Anyways, at the time Bella was convinced that the baby was a boy and called the baby 'EJ'."

EJ?

I looked over at Edward again and he just smiled back.

Like Edward Junior?

Edward shook his head and Bella looked between us.

Edward leaned down and whispered something to her and she smiled.

"Well, kind of mom. But it was really short for 'Edward Jacob'."

Jacob jerked his head to look at my daughter.

"Really?" He asked, sounding astonished.

Bella and Edward both nodded.

"Yeah Jacob, I'm sorry I thought you knew." Bella said softly.

Jacob whispered something that made Edward and Bella both smile bigger.

He then looked back to Charlie and I.

"Then Rosalie asked Bella if she had a backup plan. What would she name her baby if it wasn't a boy, if it was a girl."

Jacob looked back over at Bella and she smiled before softly saying.

"Renesmee."

Charlie smiled beautifully, like he saw the moon and stars for the first time.

Renesmee?

I thought the child's name was Nessie?

Oh my good golly gosh!

Do they have two?!

I glanced over at Edward and he shook his head.

"Nessie is just a nickname. A nickname Bella hated when she first heard it. But we will get to that shortly." Edward explained.

I nodded.

Renesmee?

Renesmee?

Ruh-nez-may?

Ruhnezmay.

Renesmee.

"Bella, where did you get that name from?"

I was completely lost on that fact.

Bella's smile widened.

"I was playing around with Renee and Esme and for her middle name I was playing around with Charlie and Carlisle. I got Renesmee Carlie. Renesmee Carlie Masen Cullen."

Awe I feel so honored!

I didn't know what to say!

Well that's a first.

Edward leaned down and whispered something to Bella.

Bella smiled brightly at me and nodded.

"I now saw Bella and Edward as a happy little family."

Aw, cute picture in my head!

"At the time, I felt alone and in pain."

Poor Jacob.

"Edward heard my pain and gave me the car keys to his precious Austin Martin and he told me to get away from there."

Edward chuckled lightly.

"Yeah, well I couldn't have you phasing in my living room, plus I didn't realize what keys I tossed you until I heard the car start."

Jacob laughed and Edward shook his head smiling.

"So I raced away toward Seattle. I hoped that I could imprint on someone so that I wouldn't hurt over Bella anymore."

Charlie grumbled something and he shifted his weight to lean up against the couch's arm rest.

"But I compared everyone I saw to Bella and then I turned around and went back to be with her."

Well Bella is the best!

Edward snorted, nodded and kissed the top of Bella's head.

"At some point Leah snuck into the house without my permission and tells Bella off."

Stupid Leah.

Edward nodded his head again.

"When I got back to the house, after the Leah problem. Edward told me that they wanted to deliver the baby early—tomorrow. That next day."

I don't know why but I got chills again.

"Edward then asked me, as the true Alpha, to grant him permission to save Bella. In anguish, I have my consent."

Chills.

Chills.

Chills!

I took a chance and looked over at Charlie and he looked a little worried, but after he glanced over at Bella, he sighed and leaned back.

Bella sighed and she stood up.

Everyone's eyes followed her movements

She said something to Jacob and Edward and then looked over at us.

"I'm going to go get my daughter. Edward and Jake can finish up this part of the story. I will be back soon."

Bella looked back to Edward.

"Stay out of the pictures until I get back."

Edward sighed and whispered something to her.

Bella shook her head.

"Ok. Fine. Do you want me to stay while you show them?"

Edward shook his head 'no'."

"No, go get Renesmee. We'll be fine here."

Bella nodded and kissed Edward before heading out the back door.

Edward stared after her and sighed.

He then picked up the beautiful box that was sitting on the coffee table.

He opened it and pulled out two large scrapbooks and three little ones.

Edward laid them all down except on.

The little red one.

Edward I sighed and flipped through it and pulled out a couple pictures.

"These are the only pictures we have of Bella pregnant. It was too painful and scary to take more. To remember." Edward said, really quietly.

Edward leaned forward and handed me five pictures.

I gasped and covered my mouth at what I saw.

The first picture was of Bella standing in front of a mirror in her bra and shorts.

You could see all the bruises and marks, she was skin and bones.

I flipped to the second picture and it was about the same only she was sitting on the sofa.

The third was worse, Bella was even more skinny if that was possible.

She had her hands on her giant belly and Rosalie was standing behind the couch.

The forth was of Bella in a giant t-shirt sitting on the same beautiful sofa, but she looked better in this picture.

And the fifth and the last picture it was of Bella and Edward.

Bella was sitting on the couch and Edward had his head and hands on her belly; and Bella had the most beautiful smile on her face and her hands in Edward's hair.

I silently passed the pictures to Charlie and he gasped and a broken sob broke loose but it wasn't from Charlie.

I looked up and Edward had his head buried in his hands and his shoulders were shaking.

Jacob placed a hand on Edward's shoulder and a tear fell from Jacob's eye.

Charlie grunted and stood up.

He walked over to Edward, placed the pictures in the box and placed one of his hands on Edward's other shoulder.

Edward looked up and smiled at Charlie before taking a deep breath.

Charlie looked Edward in the eye and Edward nodded.

Charlie gave Edward a small smile and nodded before walking back and retaking his sit next to me.

On the nasty couch.

Edward took another deep breath, took the pictures out of the box and put them back in their album.

Jacob sighed and shook his head.

"Bella had to use the restroom but she didn't want Rosalie to carry her there, like she normally did. She wanted to walk, to stretch her legs. Bella stood up and Bella being Bella knocked over her cup of blood and it was falling, so she bent down to catch it."

Jacob sighed and took a deep ragged breath.

"There was a horrible, sickening ripping sound followed by a shriek of pain from Bella. Then she threw up a fountain of blood. The hardened placenta detached."

My stomach turned and I thought I was going to throw up.

Charlie looked like he was barely holding himself together.

Edward was shaking again with his soft tearless sobs.

"Bella was semiconscious, screaming at us to get the baby out. Her body jerked and twitched, there was a wild thrashing in her body, and sharp snaps and cracks."

I shuddered and wrapped my arms around myself.

"Edward, Rosalie, and I were forced to perform an emergency surgery since Carlisle was still hunting with Esme and everyone else."

Charlie made a sniffling noise and lean forward into his stupid position.

"We got Bella upstairs and Edward injected her with morphine. Rosalie used a scalpel to cut Bella's skin and blood gushed out. Rosalie's eyes glinted with thirst."

I shuddered again and pulled my legs up underneath me.

"I knocked Rosalie out of the door, hitting her in the face and gut, then Alice dragged Rosalie away by her throat; Rose didn't fight back."

Charlie leaned even further forward.

"Bella's body was nearly destroyed in the process - with several ribs broken, she lost vast amounts of blood, and her spinal cord was snapped in half."

I could feel tears falling from my eyes.

I had to keep reminding myself that Bella was fine, that she just went to get Ness.

"I started performing CPR and Edward used his teeth to get to the baby and I never looked away from Bella's face."

I shuddered yet again and curled into myself more.

"Edward successfully delivered his baby girl with my help and Bella sees her baby for the first time. Bella whispers 'Renesmee' right before her heart stops beating."

My stomach turned again and I started to feel really light headed.

I rested my head against the back of the couch.

I didn't really mind the fact that it was the dirty, nasty couch.

I glanced at Charlie and he was leaning even further forward.

I wonder when he is going to fall face first into the carpet.

"I continued preforming CPR as Bella's eyes rolled into the back of her head and her heart faltered."

Charlie grunted and leaned back against the back of the couch.

He crossed his arms acrossed his chest and sighed.

"Edward injected a syringe of his venom directly into Bella's heart and to force more venom into her blood stream he bites her body in several places and licks them to close the wound, thus healing her wounds by turning her into a vampire."

Vampire?

Vampire?!

My daughter is a vampire!

How did I miss that!

I looked over at Charlie and he was completely calm.

He actually sighed in relief!

What?!

I looked back over at Edward and Jacob.

Edward was looking much calmer but his face was still twisted up in worry.

Jacob took a ragged breath and continued.

"I saw that there was no more life in Bella, that she was a broken, bled-out corpse. Bella's dead body had no more draw to me now. I stopped preforming CPR and Edward pushed my hands away, breaking my hand in the process and yelled at me to leave so I did."

Edward looked kind of angry at Jacob but he didn't say anything.

I don't really blame him though.

Jacob was being stupid.

"I wouldn't keep my promise to Edward. I wouldn't kill him. He would suffer more alive. I gave everything to save Bella, but she sacrificed herself to be torn apart by a monster. Well that was my opinions at the time."

Edward looked away from Jacob and towards the front window.

His eyes looked a million miles away.

"I heard Rosalie downstairs, cooing to the monster, feeding it blood. Pain and hatred washed through me, the thing must be destroyed."

Jacob shuddered as he said this.

Charlie was making a weird noise and I was glancing between the three of them.

Edward looked up at Charlie and shook his head.

"I would have stopped him Charlie. I was about to charge down the stairs or yell to Rosalie but then I heard his next thoughts, his thoughts of him imprinting. I knew my daughter was safe."

Charlie nodded his head and sighed, relaxing further in the couch.

"I went crazy with rage when I thought Bella was dead. I was irrationally blaming Renesmee. I could feel the pull tugging me toward the abomination. Rosalie turned around and I looked into the baby's eyes."

Jacob's eyes softened and he smiled brightly.

Edward visibly relaxed.

"Everything that made me what I was floated away and the universe swirled around only one point: Renesmee."

Charlie smiled and shifted his weight.

Edward and Jacob smiled also.

"I imprinted on Renesmee the moment we looked into each other's eyes and because of this, Renesmee becomes the key to a permanent truce between the werewolves and the Cullen's. By the absolute pack law, the object of a wolf's imprinting cannot be harmed by other wolves, and there is no exception to this rule."

Jacob finished and took a long drink of water from his long forgotten cup.

Charlie sighed and I followed his lead, sighing also.

Then Edward and Jacob both looked to the kitchen and in walked my beautiful daughter, holding her beautiful daughter.

I can't even remotely imagine what was going to happen next.

Edward whispered something very quietly and Bella nodded quickly, walking back outside the door.

I cocked my head and looked at Edward in question.

Edward sighed before he answered my unspoken question.

"Bella went out of Renesmee's hearing range so I could tell you something else."

Charlie nodded and I copied him.

"Through Jacob's thoughts, I learned that he had imprinted on my daughter."

Jacob flinched at the tone of Edward's voice.

"During my Bella's transformation, I sat by her side, waiting for her to recover. I was also very relieved by the renewed peace between the wolves and my family, and more importantly, the arrival of our daughter; but incredibly irritated by Jacob's imprinting on her. I've gotten over it in time."

Jacob smiled and said something earning a grimace and a punch from Edward.

"Bella." Edward said softly and before I knew it Bella and Nessie were back.

Bella smiled and sat down in-between her husband and Jacob.

Little Nessie, er Renesmee immediately crawled onto her father's lap.

Renesmee seated herself and looked towards Charlie and I and smiled.

Bella took a deep breath and exhaled a sigh.

"I was bewildered by the pain and by the darkness. The morphine kept me paralyzed while the venom burns."

Edward shook his head and leaned over to kiss Bella's temple.

"I wanted to stay alive for Edward, Jacob, and Renesmee. While I burned."

I went to say something when Bella interrupted me.

"Not literally mom."

I nodded and shrunk back into the nasty couch cushions.

"While I burned I forced myself to remain silent to lessen Edward's anguish. I knew my pain would cause him pain."

Edward whispered something to her and she smiled, before nodding her head.

"After two long days my heart stops and I opened my eyes to my new life. The life I've wanted for a couple years by then."

Edward smiled and pulled Renesmee closer to his chest.

The child smiled bigger and nuzzled up to her father.

"All of my senses are magnified:  
>sight, smell, taste, hearing, touch."<p>

I smiled, remembering what Bella told us about this earlier.

"A touch sends me into a defensive crouch. It wasn't the touch as so much as it wasn't the temperature I was expecting. Edward and I were and well are the same now."

I cocked my head to the side, listening to my daughter.

"Anyways when I saw it was Edward, I realized I over reacted and I relaxed immediately. But I couldn't help to gasp out at the beauty of Edward's face, his voice, and his scent; how everything was amplified with my new, enhanced senses."

I wonder what Edward smelled like?

I could feel the embarrassment rush over me, but I really didn't care.

I wanted to know.

"What does Edward smell like?" I asked my daughter.

Jacob started laughing and little Renesmee smiled.

Charlie made a weird noise and scooted away from me.

Edward looked away and Bella gave me a shy smile.

"Well mostly like honey, lilac and sunshine."

Ohhhh.

What?

What does sunshine smell like?!

Now my daughter makes no sense at all!

"Anyways, I noticed how everything was different now that I was a newborn. As I said before my senses are improved by great lengths. Seeing a brand new color, hearing the freeway from the house, smelling the change in the weather. Knowing the different footfalls of my silent-to-humans family, watching the celestial movements of dust, tasting the air and everything around it."

Tasting the air?

What is that supposed to mean?!

"There is way too much to explain about that day. How everything was different; how I was different but yet the same."

I looked over at Charlie and he still looked unfazed by everything that has been said in the last ten minutes.

"I was surprised over my hunger for Edward. I thought I wouldn't get that back for at least a year. My hunger for him never left, it just increased, magnified and was all consuming."

She wanted to eat Edward?!

I sat up a little straighter and looked over at Edward.

He shook his head and he whispered something to Bella.

Bella rolled her eyes and smacked her forehead with her right hand.

"No mom of course not. It is a loving hunger."

She said and looked towards Nessie out of the corner of her eye.

What?!

Edward sighed deeply and Jacob started laughing again.

Charlie on the other hand finally looked a little uncomfortable.

Edward stood up with his daughter and walked out of the back door.

Bella sighed and looked me dead in the eye.

"What I meant mom was a sexual hunger. I was trying to be descret and polite about it."

Ohh, my bad.

Sometimes I am such a blonde!

Charlie made another funky noise and leaned back against the couch.

"Sorry dad, I tried not to use the word."

Charlie nodded and sighed, glancing over at me.

Edward walked back in and Nessie was smiling.

"Anyways Alice had Edward make me look into a mirror and I didn't recognize myself, mainly because of my blood red eyes. I was upset but I shook it off quickly; I was happy when I found one flaw of my old life. My upper lip was still fuller than my bottom."

Chills!

The red eyes would have been super freaky!

"I jokingly asked Edward if he was disappointed as I looked into the mirror. He said 'yes'; which sent my emotions high but as soon as he said he was only disappointed because he couldn't hear my thoughts I relaxed."

What?!

I looked over at Edward again.

"Yeah Bella took it the wrong way. She had never been merely pretty. She has and will always be the most beautiful to me. Well and this little bundle of love and joy. My most beautiful girls."

Aw!

Nessie giggled as Edward tickled her belly lightly.

"Anyways I had poor Jasper so perplexed by my self-control. He was around hundreds, maybe thousands of newborns and they didn't have a fraction of my self-control. It made Jasper very uneasy. It really confused him how I could handle my emotions and mood swings like normal. Like a two hundred year old vampire, not a two minute old."

Wow!

My daughter has super control!

Charlie shifted his weight and leaned back down into his stupid postion, with his elbows on his knees and his head in his hands.

"Shortly after I talked to some of the family, Edward takes me out on my very first hunt. Before letting me see Renesmee. For safety reasons."

A sudden chill shoots down my spine again.

I hate that feeling!

Would she have been a risk to her own daughter?

I looked up at Edward again.

He shook his head 'no'.

"No Renee, we just didn't know what to expect."

I nodded and leaned back again against the nasty sofa.

"I followed Edward's moves and I jumped out of one of the upstairs windows. Well very gracefully I might add. By doing so I impressed Edward and some of the family that were watching from the said window."

Wow, Bella graceful.

I never thought I would see the day.

"I kicked off the high heel shoes Alice had put on me during my changing and I threw them back through the open window. I then ran barefoot through the forest with Edward."

Cool!

Wait hunt?!

"Like I said earlier there is some much to explain but so little time tonight. I will tell you the most important details and we will go from there."

Charlie and I both nodded and then Bella continued her story.

"Anyways so now I can run and jump like Edward and I now have this raw, massive beautiful power."

Charlie leaned even further forward.

"Everything physical is easy, but it was hard for me to focus the  
>expanded capacity of my mind."<p>

I was waiting for Charlie to fall face first into the carpet.

"After some brief instructions from my husband, I soon caught the scent of elk, I started towards the elk but then I smelled something more fragrant and I turned towards it. I was in mid hunt. Nothing could stop me."

Charlie suddenly sat up ram rod straight and looked at his daughter, wide eyed and mouth agape.

Bella looked down, took a deep breath and looked back up

"I heard a pursuer behind me, so I turn and snarled, it was Edward. I felt horrible that i growled at Edward and I then realized what that fragrant smell was. That it was human blood."

My eyes widened as I finally understood what was happening.

A nasty chill ran down my back and stayed there.

"But I proved to have incredible self-control when I broke out of mid hunt, held my breath, turned and ran away from the scent of human blood.

Charlie sighed in relief and so did I.

Thank God, my daughter is strong.

That probably would have killed her.

Jacob stretched out and yawned.

"That is something newborns aren't supposed to be able to do. Ever."

Charlie smiled and Edward nodded his head.

"I was amazed at my control but even more so, I was amazed by the passionate touches of Edward, now that he no longer has to worry about hurting me. I was amazed at how much I still wanted Edward more than anything. More than blood."

Aw, so romantic!

I love romance.

"I killed a mountain lion and a mule deer buck and fed."

Ew.

I shuddered.

Charlie's smile never faltered.

"After I was full and after I watched Edward hunt, we raced home to see Renesmee."

Little Nessie looked over at her mother at the sound of her name.

Renesmee climbed over on Bella's lap and cuddled up against her chest.

Bella smiled and gently stroked Nessie's soft curls.

"Jacob met us outside to test my control; I was happy that Jacob was and is still my friend. That he is still in my life. My brother."

Charlie and I both smiled.

I am so happy he is still in her life.

Jacob smiled and snorted out a laugh.

"Or son in law." He muttered under his breath.

That earned him a smack by Bella and a low growl by Edward.

Charlie just gave him a dirty look.

"Everyone, including Jacob and excluding Alice and Edward was afraid to let me hold my daughter. But Edward told everyone about my control on our hunting trip."

Charlie smiled again and leaned a little more forward.

"When I saw Renesmee; she looked two months old rather than two days. I hold and hug my daughter without one ounce of difficulty."

Charlie's face glowed with pride as did Edward's.

I smiled over at my daughter before crossing my legs and leaning back.

Might as well make myself comfortable, we were going to be here a couple more hours.

"When Renesmee touches my face; I see Renesmee's thoughts and memories."

I gasped and so did Charlie.

What?!

Charlie leaned even more forward and kind of cocked his head to the side.

"Renesmee go show Grandpa Charlie and Grandma Renee what you showed Mama the first time, ok?"

Bella told her daughter sweetly.

Bella leaned in and whispered something to her daughter.

Nessie's face was kind of sad at first and then broke out into a huge smile and she nodded, causing her bronze curls to bounce around.

Renesmee hopped off of her mother's lap and came over to Charlie and I.

She climbed up onto Charlie's lap and smiled sweetly at him before raising her little, long fingered hand up.

She placed her hand on Charlie's cheek and he gasped.

After a couple of minutes she removed her hand and Charlie pulled her into a hug.

He had a little tear in his eye has he said, "Thank you sweetie."

Renesmee nodded and then climbed onto my lap.

Little Nessie smiled up at me and raised her hand slowly.

I nodded and her smile grew.

She placed her little hand on my cheek and I couldn't help but gasp.

I could still see through my own eyes but I watched Renesmee's memories and thoughts in my mind.

The first was a memory was her very first memory.

It was weird like looking at the sun through closed eyelids.

I could hear voices, Edward and Bella's mainly.

Then the memory shifted to the same weird looking at the sun through closed eyes thing, but there was screaming and yelling.

It was like in the memory Nessie couldn't breathe.

The memory shifted yet again.

I could hear the struggling, screaming, shouting, choking and bones cracking; then silence came for only a moment before it all started again.

Suddenly the glowing red scene that I've seen since Nessie placed her hand on my face, changed.

There was a blinding white light and then she saw Edward's face for the first time.

He said her name before Bella asked for her that's when Renesmee saw Bella for the first time and when I saw how bad of shape my daughter was in.

Bella's face was twisted, ravaged, covered in sweet and blood.

Bella's expression in the memory was an adoring smile, her brown eyes glowed over their deep circles.

Then the image enlarged, Bella's face came closer to the unseen vantage point, and then abruptly vanished.

The memory shifted again and it showed what Nessie felt when she saw Jacob for the first time and their special bond.

Then yet again the memory shifted and she saw Bella for the first time after Bella's change.

I shuddered at Bella's red eyes but was too amazed at how their mother, daughter bond was so strong.

Renesmee showed me her mother holding her and then the mental pictures faded.

Little Nessie had removed her hand and smiled softly at me before climbing down off my lap and returning to her mothers.

"She does the exact opposite of what Bella and I can do. Bella keeps everyone out. Renesmee lets everyone in. I can read thoughts and memories. Renesmee can show her memories and thoughts."

Charlie and I both nodded and smiled at them.

Bella smiled back at Charlie and I before she continued her story.

"I noticed how Jacob was staring at my daughter. It made me very angry but I calmed down very quickly, I knew he had no control over it."

Jacob yawned again and Renesmee crawled over onto his lap.

"But when Jacob called my baby Nessie; nicknamed her after the Loch Ness Monster, I lost control and I lunged at Jacob."

Charlie shuddered and I got a stupid chill again.

"Ness go show Charlie and Renee what your Mama did to me."

Jacob told little Nessie and she nodded and came over to us again.

She went to Charlie first again, he shuddered and thanked Renesmee again.

When she came over to me again I was ready for the weird sensation.

In the memory Bella charged across the lawn towards Jacob and Seth leaped between them, Bella looked like a graceful predator leaping at her prey like an arrow arcing from a bow.

Renesmee moved her hand and smiled at me, before returning to Jacob and her mother and father.

"Seth jumped in front of Jacob and I crashed into him, breaking Seth's shoulder in the process. I felt awful but his shoulder healed within a few hours."

Charlie nodded and leaned further against the stupid, nasty couch.

"Edward and I were both extremely annoyed by Jacob's imprinting on Renesmee, but we accepted that it was involuntary."

Renesmee moved back onto her father's lap and rested her hand against his chest.

"I believe Edward told you this but because Jacob had imprinted on Renesmee, the pack cannot hurt her; the treaty is reinstated."

Nessie looked up at her father, but Edward shook his head quickly and she nodded, before resting her head again.

"Renesmee was growing at a very alarming rate. We didn't know anything about hybrids at the time and we didn't know what was going to happen. We didn't know how long we were going to have her because of the rate she was growing."

My icy chill returned and I was suddenly scared.

Charlie gasped but then he relaxed quickly.

"We will have her forever."

Bella reassured, making me relax as well.

"Jasper was very discomfited by my control, he wondered if super-self-control was my gift."

I sat up quickly and looked at me daughter.

I wonder if it is her gift?!

"It isn't. I just have really good control."

Aw okay.

But still cool!

Charlie smiled

"Renesmee shows me every happening of her day. She wanted me to know all about her."

Bella looked over at her daughter again and whispered something to her.

Little Nessie yet again came over to us and went over to Charlie first.

When she was finished showing Charlie she came over to me.

She showed me Rosalie brushing through each of her curls gently.

She showed me Carlisle and his measuring tape.

She showed me Rosalie and Alice taking pictures of her.

Renesmee smiled and then returned yet again to her parents.

Bella leaned forward and opened the beautiful box on the coffee table.

She pulled out one of the photo albums and passed it to Charlie and I.

Charlie and I flipped through the paged of the scrapbook.

There were pictures of Renesmee as a newborn through now.

Pictures of Renesmee and her family, Charlie, the wolves and many, many people I do not know.

There was one picture that really caught my eye.

The picture was of Edward, Bella and Renesmee standing in front of a beautiful little house.

It looked like something that came out of a fairytale.

I looked over at Charlie and he was smiling at all of the pictures.

After we finished looking through the scrapbook we handed it back to Bella and she placed it back into the beautiful box.

Bella smiled as she began her story again.

"Then Alice handed me a key; that day was my nineteenth birthday."

Charlie and I simultaneously leaned forward.

"Edward also handed me a key, but the key from Edward was going to wait. It was to my 'after' car. I could wait to see it."

Man I would want to see the car!

"But the key from Alice was a birthday present. It was a house for Edward and I. A beautiful cottage renovated by Esme. A storybook stone cottage. Edward and I spent a very romantic night together. Our second honeymoon."

I smiled.

That was the house in the picture.

Well I hope I would get some details this time.

Edward snorted and then hid his face in his daughter's hair.

Bella looked over at him but said nothing.

She looked back toward her father and me and continued from where she left out.

"After Edward carried me over the threshold and showed me the house, we never made it to the bed. We didn't have to catch our breath or rest or eat or even use the bathroom; we had no more mundane human needs. Edward has the most beautiful, perfect body in the world and I have him all to myself."

Charlie made his weird choking sound again and leaned back against the sofa.

"And I was never going to find a point where I would think. 'Now I've had enough for one day.' I will always want more. I didn't know how we were ever going to stop. And it didn't bother me at all that I had no answer at all."

Dang they could just keep going and going and going.

I wish I really knew the capacity of their love.

I wish I had what they had.

"Anyways later, Jacob was aware that we were planning on moving away. He thought he could help me stay in Forks by having Charlie see me and let him make the wrong assumptions."

Charlie shuddered and adjusted himself on the couch.

"So Jacob phases in front of Charlie. He thought Charlie was the reason we were leaving. Anyways he then tells Charlie that I had changed, that Edward and I are caring for a special baby; Jacob starts to tell Charlie more, but Charlie wants to hear as little as possible—he'd like to remain on a need-to-know basis."

Bella glared over at Jacob before looking back at us.

So Charlie knew some of this stuff before I did.

That made me kind of mad.

I uncrossed my legs and recrossed them the other way.

"Everyone was angry with Jacob, but Jacob didn't realize the danger or the pain he was causing me. Edward explained it to Jacob as sticking a white hot branding iron down my throat."

Ow!

I can't even imagne that!

"Alice had colored contacts for me, to fool Charlie. I then get a crash course in acting human and I instructed Renesmee not to touch or bite Charlie."

I wondered if she had contacts in right now.

I looked over at Edward and he shook his head 'no'.

I looked into Bella's eyes and noticed that they were the same shade as Edward's and the rest of the Cullen's.

Her eyes were the bright, beautiful golden brown.

"Renesmee used to like to bite Jacob when she was hungry and no one was acting fast enough for her."

I laughed lightly and Charlie joined in.

"So Charlie arrived and he saw me for the first time since my change. He felt shock, disbelief, fear and anger. Edward introduced Renesmee as his orphaned niece, which, was the cover story. Then Charlie sees the resemblance in Ness to me and himself. And then he heard the real story; but just as need to know."

Charlie moved again.

Man, I wish he would hold still.

"He knew Renesmee was our daughter even back then."

That is no fair!

Charlie knew we had a granddaughter before I did?!

I had a nasty heat rush through me.

I was mad!

I glared over at Charlie and then looked back over at my daughter.

"Charlie was shocked to discover that I had known about the mythical world for years, and he told me to tell him only what is absolutely necessary for him to know. This allowed me to keep my father in my new life without putting him in danger."

I felt myself calm down and I smiled.

"Charlie spent the rest of the day with the family. It was so nice."

I'm sure it was.

I looked over at Charlie and smiled at him.

He was sitting with his legs under his butt now; I wonder how he sat like that without me know it.

"I explained my daughter's name to Charlie and the rest of the family. Renesmee = Renée + Esme; Carlie = Carlisle + Charlie."

I still felt honored over that.

That beautiful little angel was named partly named after Charlie and myself.

"Charlie acknowledged that I looked good and told me that he would get use to the changes in me. It was a relief to me to know my dad was going to still be in my life and in my daughter's."

I smiled and I started to feel all emotional.

Charlie moved again and this time he stretched his legs out in front of him.

"After dad left I was super angry about Emmett's embarrassing comments and innuendoes; and that he said them in front of Charlie. So I challenged and beat him at an arm-wrestling match."

I glanced over at Charlie and his face was completely flushed.

I guess Emmett did cause a little stir.

I tried not to laugh.

"I adjusted to my new life extremely well, going as far as to think I was destined to be a vampire. I was born to be a vampire. I was born for this life. I was born for Edward."

That's so romantic!

I really, really wish I had what they had!

"In the upcoming months, Renesmee grew at an exceptional pace, mentally and physically, forming full sentences one week after her birth."

Wow!

I knew she was extremely smart but I guess I didn't realize how smart.

"Renesmee speaks at one week, walks at three weeks; and at that rate she would be an adult in four years; Edward and Carlisle were planning a trip to South America to find answers. But that trip never happened."

Chills!

Chills!

I knew she would be fine.

I just couldn't help the scary feeling.

"Aro sent me a wedding gift. I then decided that I needed to go see Aro alone in order to protect Renesmee."

Chills!

Chills!

Aro and the Volturi scare me to death!

Why would she go there herself?

"Because Aro can't read Bella's mind, see her thoughts. But that trip never happened."

Edward answered my unspoken question.

"Months later, I was hunting with Jacob and Renesmee in the forest when Irina from the Denali coven comes to apologize; she sees my daughter from a distance and mistakes her for an immortal child, whose creation is a heinous crime of the vampire world. Irina runs away as soon as she saw my daughter."

A sudden chill ran straight down my spine.

It was colder than all of the other chills.

I really had a bad feeling about all of this.

Bella took a deep breath and little Nessie placed her hand on her mother's cheek.

Bella nodded to her and kissed her on the top of her bronze curls on top of her head.

"A few days later, Alice has a vision."

The icy chill that was colder than all the others wasn't going anywhere.

"A vision that took her so by surprise that she dropped the case she was holding. Vampires never drop anything. We were all too shocked that it slipped in the first place to go and catch it."

I looked over at Charlie and he had a very worried look on his face.

My icy chill suddenly turned hot and anxiety burned in my stomach.

I looked back over to Bella, Edward, Renesmee and Jacob.

"What Alice saw."

Bella trailed off and took another unneeded breath.

Edward pulled her and his daughter closer to him.

"What she saw was that Irina had gone to the Volturi and told them we created an immortal child."

The heat in my stomach rose up to my chest and I felt like I was either going to pass out or throw up.

I looked over at Edward and his face was buried in Bella's hair.

But he must have heard my thought because he looked up at me and gave me a small smile.

It didn't really make me feel any better.

Charlie was making his grumbling noise again as Bella continued.

"The Volturi was planning on destroying all of us. They were coming. All of them. The ancients, the guard, even the wives. They also were bringing witnesses for themselves."

Charlie gasped out and sat forward.

I took a deep breath, trying to control the tightness in my chest.

I grabbed the glass of water that was on the table next to me and took small sips.

It helped.

I glanced over to Charlie and he was back in the position that made me think he was going to fall face first in the carpet.

The carpet needed cleaning also.

Maybe I should have brought them a coupon for a carpet cleaner also.

"After a few minutes of talking we knew we needed to find friends to witness for us, to make the Volturi hesitate long enough for us to tell them Renesmee isn't what she appeared to be."

My focus on the dingy carpet was gone; my creepy, icy chill was back.

"We only had a month."

I was feeling panicked again so I took another drink of water.

Charlie's mouth was open and his eyes were all buggy again.

He was going to catch a bug or something.

"Alice and Jasper left very quickly, they wanted to make Alice's visions more clear than they would be if she was around Nessie and Jake. As soon as they ran out of the house Jacob walked in."

Jacob who was resting his eyes, looked over at Bella when she said his name.

"I had to tell Jacob that it was over, that we had all been sentenced to death."

Chills!

Chills!

Charlie leaned even further forward.

"The next morning Alice and Jasper were still gone. We followed their trail until we reached the border between our land and the wolves. Sam said Alice and Jasper asked to be escorted to the ocean. Alice had left a letter with Sam to give us."

Alice left?!

Oh my gosh.

Deep breaths.

Deep breaths.

Whoo, I wonder if Charlie feels as sick as I do?

"The letter that Alice left us was just a note listing the friends we needed as our witnesses. We really lost most of our hope when Alice had left. And that she took Jasper made it seem even more dim."

I could see why.

Oh my stomach.

I had to keep reminding myself that Bella and the Cullen's are fine and that Alice is back.

"What I noticed on the piece of paper Alice left, surprised me."

I cocked my head to the side and looked at my daughter.

"It was ripped out of one of my old Shakespeare books."

Oh.

Wait what?

Edward sighed and reburied his face in Bella's long mahogany hair.

"I followed her trail back to our cottage and told Edward to wait outside for 30 seconds. Alice had also left me a secret note. It was in my copy of The Merchant of Venice, it was about someone named J. Jenks. She also told me to destroy the information."

J. Jenks?

Who is this J. Jenks?

Is his real name J.?

Or is it just short for something?

I wonder if it was spelled Jay, Jey, or just J.

I violently jumped when I heard something from upstairs.

It was a loud boom!

It sounded like someone had dropped a shampoo bottle in the shower.

I looked at the ceiling like I was looking in the bathroom.

Edward sighed and looked up at me.

"Sue walked into the bathroom and placed something on the shelf and she did knock over a shampoo bottle but it hit the rim of the tub and fell in the floor."

Edward explained to me before rehiding his face in Bella's hair.

Charlie made a coughing sound before leaning back against the nasty sofa, crossing his legs as he did so.

"So, anyways I realized very quickly that I needed to keep it from Edward. I tossed the book into the lit fireplace. I had Alice's secret. I would find out who this J. Jenks person was."

"Why keep it from Edward?" I interrupted.

Bella sighed.

"I was the only one who was able to keep this a secret. Edward and Aro can't read my thoughts. Alice had made sure I was the only one who could figure it out.

Oh!

Alice is super smart.

I smiled at my daughter and nodded my head.

Bella smiled slightly before continuing her story.

"The rest of the family split up to find our witnesses. Edward and I had to stay home to let our expected visitors see Renesmee for themselves. We were expecting the Denali's the following morning."

Renesmee looked up at her mother and have her a small smile.

Bella grinned down at her daughter and kissed her forehead.

"Later that night I looked up the info Alice had given me. I found out that J. Jenks is a lawyer."

Oh a lawyer!

That's cool.

Wait why would Alice give Bella a lawyer's information?

"I knew Alice would know I would do anything to save my family and that everything was out of our hands. We had no control. I figured out this J. Jenks could help me save my daughter from our horrible fate."

Oh maybe I just should wait before asking or thinking questions.

I kind of thought about that for a moment.

Yeah, no, I will keep asking questions.

I needed to know everything after all and stupid Charlie knew more before I did.

I slumped back against the couch and crossed my arms across my chest.

"The next morning I asked Edward to teach me how to fight. I wanted to learn how to fight so I could defend myself and my family. Edward explained to me about the Volturi's strengths. I also hoped I was immune to some of their gifts, like I was with Edward's, Aro's, and Jane's. I wanted to help anyway I could."

That's right!

Edward can't hear her thoughts and neither can Aro.

Jane couldn't hurt her either.

That's so super cool!

Man, I wish I had a cool power.

I suddenly felt like pouting.

This isn't fair.

Edward snorted out a laugh, hidden by Bella's hair.

Bella looked over at Edward out of the corner of her eye; then she continued again.

"Anyways when the Denali's arrived that morning, they were horrified to see Renesmee, who they thought was an immortal child; just like Irina did. Edward convinced them that Renesmee is half-vampire, half-human. That she is our biological daughter; they each let Renesmee touch them and show them her story."

Oh, what did she show them?!

I wanna see!

I wanna see!

Edward sighed and once again moved from his hiding place.

He whispered something to Bella and she nodded.

"Renesmee do you want to show grandma and grandpa what you showed the Denali's that day. Starting from where you left off before?"

Renesmee nodded and hopped of her mother's lap and came over to me and Charlie.

Yay!

I was going to see.

Na na na na na.

Little Nessie went over to Charlie first.

Why is he always first to know everything?!

Nessie climbed on his lap and placed her little, long fingered hand on his cheek.

He gasped at first and then he just closed his eyes; watching.

After a minute or two she removed her hand and smile at Charlie.

Charlie smiled back and kissed her on her forehead, whispering something to hear.

She broke out in little giggles.

Renesmee crawls over to me and sits on my lap.

Yes!

It was my turn!

Renesmee placed her hand on my face and I saw a rush of memories.

Carlisle measuring her.

Nessie saying her first words, walking, running.

I saw little Nessie with Billy, Sue, Charlie and the wolves and other people.

I saw her with Jacob in his wolf form several times.

I saw her with her mother and father and the rest if her large family more than anything else.

She slowed her memories down to a scene where she was out in the snow in the woods with Bella and Jacob.

She zoomed through the hunt.

Thank God.

It amazed me that I was seeing everything through her eyes.

I saw more detail but because I am a human I couldn't see it all.

Not nearly as all.

In the scene she was running next to wolf Jacob and her mother.

They stopped in a clearing and Renesmee started jumping up into the sky.

She would look down and Bella and Jacob looked a lot smaller.

She was jumping so high!

When she landed she went over to her mom and opened her hand.

In her hand was a perfect little snowflake.

I gasped and she flipped through several more memories.

All her family running around and talking, Alice and Jasper leaving; how she felt.

She showed me Bella and Edward telling her that others were coming.

She showed me the inside of the cottage, her room and the living room too.

She showed me how she thought it was all her fault, then how her mom, dad and Jacob all said 'no'.

She showed me what she heard her father say to the Denali's about her; that she wasn't what they thought, that she is his and Bella's daughter.

Then she showed me the Denali's standing in the living room at the Cullen house.

She showed me the Denali's excepting her and believing her.

Renesmee removed her hand and the pictures vanished.

I smiled at her and she smiled back before she returned to her mother.

She hopped on Bella's lap and then crawled to sit on her father's.

Jacob yawned and stretched his long legs out again.

Bella whispered something and Edward, Jacob and little Nessie all nodded.

I was getting pretty sick of all these secrets.

Bella looked back over to me and Charlie and continued where she left off.

"The Denali's agreed to be witnesses, and they felt sad and hurt that Irina was the cause of all the danger. That she turned her back on family and went to betray us."

Charlie made one I his stupid little noises and shifted his weight again.

I swear if he doesn't shut up and hold still, I am going to find some duct tape.

"Eleazar, who has the gift of sensing the gifts of others, mentioned that I am a shield and a very powerful one at that."

Ooh a shield!

Wait.

What's a shield?

"Bella is a mental shield, meaning that any mental attacks and powers from others won't affect her. We think is she continues training she can eventually learn to block powers like Alice's and Jasper's. Everyone's. She is the most powerful shield anyone has ever came to encounter."

Bella gave Edward a funny look.

It looked like she was embarrassed.

Hahaha oh I miss the blush.

Edward smiled but nodded.

"Well we will explain more about the shield and things later."

Edward told us quickly and then Charlie and I nodded in unison.

Bella took another unneeded deep breath before she continued.

"Edward and I were surprised and then Kate wondered if I could project my shield onto others."

I sat up a little further and I realized I was mimicking Charlie's earlier position.

I hope I wasn't going to eat carpet!

Out of the corner of my eye I saw Charlie's eyes widen.

I shook my head and refocused on Bella.

"In that time as I said before we figured out that I am a mental shield. Any vampire that had a mental ability could not affect me. Edward, Aro, Jane, Alec and the majority of the Volturi's guard. I was also immune to Eleazar, Kate and several others that I will mention later."

Wow!

My baby girl is really strong!

Edward smiled and nodded his head.

"Under the circumstances, Eleazar had to rethink his opinion of the Volturi; Eleazar thought that the Volturi were coming not to punish, but to acquire."

Chills!

Chills!

Acquire?!

Doesn't that mean to like take or obtain?!

"Aro has had his eye on several members of our family. Part of it was to try and obtain us and others. But the main reason was to punish."

I nodded and shivered as the freezing chills ran back down my back and my arms.

"Anyways, more and more witnesses arrived and the explanations started again. A few refused to touch Renesmee, but agreed to witness all the same."

Renesmee smiled brightly and leaned further into her father's lap.

"We ended up having an extra twenty-one vampires in the house. They all were going to helped us against the Volturi. We had the Denali, Amazon, Egyptian, Irish, Romanian covens and a few nomads."

Wow!

That's crazy!

"Who all was there?"

I asked without realizing it.

"Oh, we had Senna and Zafrina from the Amazon Coven. Kachiri of their coven was helping Alice."

Oh.

Maybe I shouldn't have asked.

I leaned back against the sofa.

Renesmee eyes shown with great happiness; her face just beamed joy.

"I really like Zafrina!" Her little bell like voice filled the room.

"I know you do, love. She will visit soon." Bella said as she kissed her daughters forehead.

"Zafrina is a particularly talented vampire. She has the supernatural ability to create vivid visual illusions."

Bella said as she looked back at Charlie and I.

Edward whispered something Nessie and she came back over to Charlie and I.

She sat down between us on the nasty sofa.

She placed one hand on Charlie's cheek and the other one on mine.

I didn't see anything at first but then Edward nodded to Nessie and I saw a very tall, dark skinned woman with red eyes.

She was standing outside with Bella and the one Denali named Kate.

The scene switched and I saw different scenery; jungles with monkeys and long vine things hanging from the trees. I saw waterfalls with rainbows coming from the cascade of water.

Ness moved her hands and smiled at me and them at Charlie.

"Those are just a couple of images Zafrina showed Renesmee. Zafrina can make you see anything he wants you to see."

Charlie looked over from Edward to Bella.

"Can you see anything from Zafrina, Bells?" Charlie asked Bella.

Wow that was the first time he has talked in a while.

Bella shook her head and smiled sheepishly.

"Nope. I can't see any of Zafrina's images either. But if I removed my shield completely away from me I can. But it is completely under my control. The only mental power that can get through my shield is Renesmee's."

Bella laughed lightly.

"But again Nessie can break through anything and anybody. Most can't help but believe, love and accept her. Plus she is my daughter. My flesh and blood, she is just an exception to any rules."

Bella leans into Edward and smiled brightly over at Nessie, who was still sitting in between Charlie and I.

I looked down at her and she was just smiling back.

Happy as a kid in a candy store just sitting here.

"Anyways we also had Amun and his mate Kebi, Benjamin and his mate Tia from the Egyptian Coven."

Wow.

Wow, I'm thinking wow a lot.

Charlie shifted his weight again, scooting closer to Renesmee.

Nessie looked up at him and them climbed onto his lap.

"Ben has a very unique and special talent. It enables him to physically influence the elements of nature: water, earth, fire and air. Amun chose to create him for this very reason, for he knew Benjamin would be gifted."

Wow!

I looked over at Nessie; wondering if she would show me.

Ness reached out her hand and I scooted over to it.

She placed her other hand on Charlie's cheek.

I saw four other vampires with red eyes; Nessie focused in on one of them.

Then I scene switched and it was the same vampire she focused in on but he was standing just beyond the tree line.

Benjamin was just standing there but he was moving the still air into little vortexes, moving water from the creek; making whirlpools and waves with just his mind.

Nessie remove her hands.

"He was just demonstrating what he could do. I can show you more of what he can do later." Renesmee said to Charlie and I.

Then little Nessie looked over at her father and mother.

Edward nodded to her.

Nessie sighed and settled herself back on Charlie's lap.

"We also had Maggie, Siobhan and her mate Liam from the Irish Coven there."

Bella continued.

"Maggie had the ability to tell if someone is lying to her she is a little lie detector."

That's cool!

"And Siobhan is believed to have the power to visualize an outcome of events and project it into reality. But she really doesn't believe she has the gift."

Wow!

Oh darn it!

I thought 'wow' again.

"Stefan and Vladimir from the Romanian Coven. They were a couple that didn't let Nessie show them her story."

Oh dumb jerks.

Wonder what their problem was.

"Vladimir and Stefan are the only two members on the Romanian coven left. The Volturi wiped out all of their coven and mates. The Romanian's were in charge at one point in our history and Aro wanted the power. But that's a who different story."

Oh good she wasn't going to elaborate on the Romanian's story.

I wanted to hear about her story.

Plus I don't know how much longer I can sit here.

Oh well, I want to know stuff more than I am antsy.

I felt myself sigh and I struggled holding back a yawn.

"Dracula 1 and Dracula 2."

Jacob's booming voice made me jump slightly.

Edward started laughing and Jacob and Bella started in too.

"Yeah. That's about right." Bella laughed out.

"They are pretty creepy."

Renesmee reached out and touched my face just long enough to show me two very pasty looking, red eyed vampires.

She reached up and showed Charlie the same thing.

Charlie chuckled.

"Yes, they're pretty creepy."

Jacob snorted his last laugh and stretched back out.

"Then there was Garrett, Mary, Randall and Alistair. Also Jasper's friends Peter and his mate Charlotte. They are all nomadic vampires that were there too. The only mates pair is Peter and Charlotte. The rest were by themselves. Garrett later joined the Denali's, but I will get to that later."

I nodded as did Charlie.

"Alistair is also gifted with an unique tracking ability that allows him to track people and things at a greater distance than most vampires can."

Cool!

I could use that to find my keys!

And my cell phone and the TV remote and everything else I lose on a daily bases.

Edward chuckled but didn't say anything.

"And of course as you know Eleazar and his mate Carmen, Kate, and Tanya from the Denali Coven were there."

"It was mentioned before Kate's power is a horrible shock. I have never personally felt it because of my shield but Edward has."

Edward grimaced.

"And Eleazar's power is that he knows other vampires powers or gifts."

Yeah I think she did mention that before.

Oh well.

Knowing me I needed to hear it again!

"Anyways Kate and Zafrina try to help me learn to project my shield; I wanted to be able to protect my loved ones."

Renesmee smiled lightly but didn't say anything.

"My poor Edward volunteered to be our guinea pig. We knew I was projecting my shield when he wasn't getting zapped by Kate."

Ow.

That doesn't sound like fun.

I crossed my legs and leaned back again.

"Long story short Kate decided I needed a new incentive and came after Renesmee. That's when I pushed out my shield and cover Nessie and Edward. Like I said long story."

Bummer I won't get to know.

I suddenly felt like pouting again.

"A few minutes later, to test my shield, Zafrina blinded everyone other than Renesmee and myself. I was to push my shield out and whenever I got someone under my shield they got their sight back."

I went to say something when Edward interrupted.

"No Renee, like we said earlier Zafrina's power doesn't affect Bella either."

I closed my mouth and nodded.

"That's when Garrett meets Kate. But that's their story."

Aw no details on other peoples love lives either!

"I take Renesmee and Jacob to visit Charlie; there were twenty-seven vampires in the Cullen house excluding me and Edward, and Jacob was getting kind of anxious."

Jacob snickered.

"Mainly Dracula 1 and 2."

Bella chuckled and went right back to her story.

"So I dropped them off and I left to go find J. Jenks. Our lawyer who provides us with forged documents; I had him to forge passports and IDs for Renesmee and Jacob if we failed to stop the Volturi."

Cool!

I want that kind of lawyer!

I looked over at Charlie as he grumbled something and then it look like he had an epiphany.

Edward nodded and Charlie smiled.

Secrets!

"I understood that Alice had given me a chance to save Renesmee. I knew that, that meant that Edward and I must have had no chance of surviving."

Okay calm down Renee, they are sitting right across from you.

Oh. My. Gosh.

What if the real Edward and Bella are gone and these ones are robots!

Omg I told Phil they were going to take over the world!

Edward laughed and rolled his eyes.

"No Renee. Calm down. It really is us."

Sure that is just what a robot would say on this kind of situation!

I leaned further into the nasty couch.

Little Nessie looked up at me with her head cocked from Charlie's lap.

Was she a robot too!?

Edward sighed again.

"What do I need to do to make you believe we aren't robots?"

Charlie snapped his head over to look at me.

The look he gave me made me think that he thought that I had lost my mind completely.

Jacob busted out laughing.

"Seriously?!"

Bella sighed and slapped her forehead with her hand.

"Mom why would we be robots? Where did you even get the thought? It is so far off topic it's comical."

I shrugged and Edward sighed again.

I looked back over at Charlie and he still had the 'Renee is insane.' Look on his face.

Renesmee looked over at me and them back at Charlie.

She placed her little hand on Charlie's face and he nodded.

Renesmee hopped off his lap and ran back over to Bella.

Jacob was still laughing.

Edward stood up and walked over to Charlie and I.

He kneeled down in front of us.

"Renee you need to take a deep breath. You are freaking yourself out. And you are freaking my daughter out. This is purely ridiculous. What do I need to do to make you believe we aren't robots?"

He said very this very calmly and softly to me.

I thought about it for a moment; then I felt insanely stupid.

Like more stupid than I have ever felt before and that's saying something.

I let my overly active imagination get away from me.

Edward sighed and smile softly

"You know we aren't robots correct?"

I smiled and nodded my head 'yes'.

Edward sighed again and returned over to Bella and Renesmee.

Jacob was quietly chuckling to himself.

Bella's face was still buried in her one hand.

"Honestly mom." Bella sighed and shook her head.

She pulled her daughter closer to her and continued where she left off.

"Ok. So I had decided that Jacob could run with Renesmee to safety."

I took a sip of water from my almost empty glass.

Freaking out is thirsty work.

"J. Jenks told me that the documents would be ready in a week."

Wow that's fast.

I glanced over at Charlie and he had scooted to the other end of the couch.

Weirdo.

"Edward knew I was keeping something from him but he didn't push to know what. I was happy that Jacob and Renesmee might've survived, if things had turned south and I was glad that Edward and I would have died together if we didn't achieve what we needed too. I couldn't bare surviving without either of them."

Chills!

Chills.

They're back!

"Hey!" Jacob complained.

"I could survive without you either you knucklehead."

Jacob smiled and leaned back.

They look like a family.

I was so stupid before!

I don't know what came over me.

They are vampires not robots!

Robots are just machines, and plus they don't have feelings.

"Edward, Renesmee, Jacob and I spent that Christmas with Charlie and the pack."

Well duh.

Wow that was mean!

Man I must be tired.

"I bought a Christmas present for Renesmee. It is an antique gold locket inscribed with the words  
>'more than my own life'."<p>

Edward leaned down and whispered something to Nessie.

She sighed softly and came over to Charlie and I.

She smiled at us and brought the locket part from under her shirt.

The locket's beautiful.

"And Jacob made her a bracelet that is equivalent to a promise ring."

Bella's voice broke my train of thought of the necklace.

Little Nessie held her arm out and showed Charlie and I a hand woven bracelet.

She smiled at us and before she went back to her mother.

I think she is afraid of me.

Man I felt like a schmuck.

"We returned home to find that one of the nomads, Alistair, had run off."

Well that was rude!

What a chicken!

Edward shook his head.

"Yeah well, his parting words were 'Well, good luck. You're gonna need it. Cheers.'" Edward said, pulling Nessie on to his lap.

But I had a feeling that he wasn't answering my mental banter; but just concurring with what Bella said.

Edward nodded.

Yes!

I was right for once!

"Then Amun, thought that Carlisle was trying to steal half his coven. Don't ask. We also had several vampires commit to fighting the Volturi if it came to it. Others were hesitant; the wolves were ready to fight alongside us."

Jacob chortled lightly.

I think I really like the wolves!

"I picked up the documents from J. Jenks; with false names - Jacob and Vanessa (from Nessie) Wolfe."

I laughed slightly.

That's funny!

I glanced over at Charlie and he had a slight smile on his face.

He was also leaning forward again.

"I filled a little backpack for Renesmee with: documents, money, instructions, love notes. Everything her and Jacob would need."

Bella is such a good mother.

I wish I could have been better for her.

I wish I hadn't accused her and Edward to be robots a few minutes ago.

Oh well I really just have to let that go.

I took a deep breath.

Okay it's gone!

"There is a lot that happened but basically our entire group prepared to meet the Volturi."

My chills were back, Charlie was still looking at me like I was insane and Nessie wouldn't make eye contact with me.

Boy am I stupid.

Bella whispered something to Edward and he whispered back.

I really hated these private conversations that I couldn't hear!

"A little side story before we continue, just to bring you up to par with how the Volturi works most of the time. So you see Caius was planning to send a hunting party to Forks to see if I had become a vampire or not. He wanted to see if I was still human."

Oh my gosh.

Oh my gosh!

I was suddenly nervous all over again.

"To stop this, Alice sent the Volturi an announcement for mine and Edward's wedding. The announcement delayed the Volturi's plans because they weren't sure if it meant that we had actually gotten married or if it meant I had been turned."

I got a really bad sick feeling in my stomach.

I don't like the Volturi.

I don't like them at all.

Edward nodded his head sharply.

I glanced over at Charlie and he was as far away from me as the nasty couch allowed him.

He was leaning up against the armrest and had his legs crossed and his elbow resting on the armrest with his head in his hand.

He was completely focused on what Bella was saying.

"Anyways, Aro decided to send me a wedding gift. It was a thick, gold-chained necklace with a diamond the size of a golf ball accompanied by a note saying, "I so look forward to meeting the new Mrs. Cullen in person." which worried me deeply."

My stomach fluttered again and I curled up into myself; pulling my legs up against my chest.

I then wrapped my arms around my legs, resting my head on my knees.

"Like I said earlier I had decided to go to Italy alone to let the Volturi know that I had been turned and hide the fact that I have a half-human/half-vampire daughter."

I know all of this Bella.

I sighed, she was stalling.

"But before I could make any plans Irina saw Renesmee and she mistakes her to be an immortal child; and she informed the Volturi of this 'case'."

Bella glanced at her daughter on Edward's lap.

"But you know all that so anyways."

Bella took another deep breath.

"I guess I was just stalling." Bella sighed and continued where she left off.

"Though they came with the pretense of justification, we knew that Aro really had another reason for gathering the entire guard. He was determined to bring Alice, as well as Edward and I, into the Volturi."

I shuddered and hugged my knees tighter.

"Anyways, that morning while everyone was getting ready I stood by the tent Renesmee was sleeping in. When she woke up I helped her get dressed and placed the backpack filled with the money, the documents, the notes and the clue in it on her back."

It was amazing.

I could almost feel my heart breaking.

"She could see the agony on my face but she knew not to say anything out loud, or even to think it. We...I told..."

Bella took a deep breath and little Nessie climbed onto Bella's lap.

Edward pulled Bella up against him, even more so than I thought was possible.

Bella choked out something that sounded like a sob or dog that got kicked in the stomach.

"I knew that the Volturi would stop at nothing to not only destroy, but acquire half of my family. So I pleaded with Renesmee. I told her to leave with Jacob when the time came."

Nessie placed her hand on Bella's cheek and Bella smiled through the anguished look on her face.

She took Nessie's hand off of her face and kissed her little, long fingered hand.

"I know baby, but it is still very hard to think about. Let alone talk about it. It's extremely hard to have to relive it through thought and memory."

Little Nessie nodded her head in understanding and buried her face in her mother's neck.

Bella took another unneeded breath and continued.

"I carried my baby, clutched to my chest out into the clearing. Out to Edward. He wrapped us both in his arms. He held us for a long moment and sighed when he let us go."

Bella shuddered and leaned closer into Edward.

Jacob placed a friendly hand on Bella's shoulder and leaned slightly toward her and Nessie.

"We took our places. Renesmee clung to my back so I could have my hands free. I stood a few feet behind the front line."

Bella leaned down a little and kissed her daughter's head.

"The front line consisted of Carlisle, Edward, Emmett, Rosalie, Tanya, Kate and Eleazar. Close beside me was Benjamin and Zafrina; it was my job to protect them for as long as I could."

It was my turn to shudder.

I took a chance and glanced over at Charlie; he was in the same position as earlier but he was leaning slightly more forward.

"Zafrina and Senna were both ridged and fierce. Benjamin sat on the ground with his hands placed on the dirt."

Bella's voice brought my attention back to her.

"The night before Benjamin had set traps underground. They couldn't hurt anyone but they could hopefully distract if need be."

Oh yeah Benjamin was the one with the awesome element controlling talent!

"The rest of our witnesses were on either side of us, some closer than others. I could feel and hear the wolves hidden in the tree line."

Jacob shifted closer to Bella and little Nessie grabbed a hold of his shirt.

She was just holding on to it.

"Then from the forest Jacob came out in his huge wolf form to stand next to me and Renesmee. Ness grabbed a handful of fur from Jacob's massive shoulder."

I smiled a small smile; just like she is holding on to his shirt.

"Ness and I both felt better with Jacob standing near us. It was calming to me because I knew Jacob wouldn't let anything happen to her."

I glanced up at Jacob's face and his eyes looked a million miles away.

I believed what Bella said, he would do anything to protect Nessie and my daughter and of course the rest of the Cullen's.

"Without looking back at me Edward reached behind him for my hand. We gripped our fingers tightly together as we prepared for what was coming."

Edward gripped Bella's knee and whispered something to hear; causing her to nod her head.

"The Volturi came with pageantry, slowly, with the pace of the invincible. I counted thirty-two Volturi, plus about forty witnesses."

Oh good Lord, that is a lot of vampires!

"The wolves, now numbering seventeen, joined us and that caused the Volturi to halt. Just as we wanted them too."

Well who wouldn't halt seeing seventeen giant wolves!

"What the Volturi found when they stopped in their tracks was what appeared to be an 'army' to oppose them, made up of 27 vampires, including their old rivals - the Romanians, and a large number of 'werewolves'."

I felt slightly smug and I smiled softly.

Wait army?

I didn't think they had an army?

"In reality Renee, our 'army' was really just our group of witnesses that could testify that Renesmee is really the hybrid daughter of Bella and I." Edward explained.

Oh yeah, duh!

"Carlisle greeted Aro, and explained that no law had been broken. They were confused when they asked Irina and she said that Nessie had changed."

Bella continued this time.

"Carlisle explained again that no law had been broken. But Aro wanted to hear it from Edward."

Bella almost growled the last part.

I cuddled my knees closer to my chest.

"When Edward passed the midway point in the field, Jane smiled, knowing Edward was closer to them than he was to us."

Bella's whole face looked between angry and worried.

Even though everything is over with, I suppose; she was still really emotional about it.

Her eyes looked far away.

Her eyes started to look more gold than they did brown.

"Oh and that smug little smile did it. My fury peaked, it was higher than ever before. I could taste pure madness on my tongue. I felt it flow through me like a tidal wave of pure power. My muscles tightened, and I acted automatically. I threw my shield out and it was under my complete control."

Wow!

I sat forward and placed my feet back on the floor.

Charlie leaned a little more forward as well.

"I was so angry that I flung my shield across the field with no effort. I had absolute control. Protecting my mate. It also allowed me to shield everyone in my surrounding. Almost fifty yards in all direction and I knew I could push it further."

This was getting exciting again.

I looked over at Charlie again and he had uncrossed his legs and he was back in his stupid position.

The one where his elbows are on his knees and his head is in his hands; leaning forward as far as he could.

"We want to make this as short as possible so I won't go into detail of how my shield feels or how someone feels under it. How covering the alpha wolves, Jacob and Sam, protected all of the wolves from mental attacks."

Wow!

I caught myself leaning forward more.

"No one knew that I had unleashed my power. Everything changed. But no one knew."

Edward smiled, looking at Bella proudly.

Little Nessie finally unburied her face from Bella's neck and she looked over at Charlie and I.

"No one knew I had the power to stop them, not even Edward."

Edward's small smile was still present but I could tell it could vanish in just a fraction of a second.

"When Edward stopped in front of Aro I knew I could prevent him from showing Aro anything. But I knew I shouldn't. It pained me so much but I pulled my shield from Edward; but held it right behind him, just in case I needed to throw it back onto him."

I was still watching Edward's facial expressions.

His small smile turned into a slight grimace.

Jacob stretched out his left leg and shifted further into the couch.

"Aro grasped Edward's hand and then Aro could hear every one of Edward's thoughts and memories."

Bella looked down and shook her head.

She took a deep breath and continued.

"Every secret thought, every strategy, every insight-everything Edward had heard in the minds around him in the last month-was now Aro's."

Oh that's not a good thing.

Not good at all.

Charlie made a disgruntled noise and leaned back slightly.

"And further back-every vision of Alice's, every quiet moment with our family, every picture in Renesmee's head, every kiss, every touch between Edward and me...all of that was Aro's now, too!"

Bella almost growled out, causing Jacob to jump slightly at the change of tone.

"I was furious! All of our private moments were now Aro's too."

Charlie made his same disgruntled noise again.

"The two-way but unequal conversation continued long enough that it made the guard nervous."

Good.

Stupid guard.

"Aro was convinced that Renesmee was not an immortal child. Aro was convinced of this after seeing Edward's memories, and that Irina admitted her false accusation. But then Aro wanted to meet Renesmee."

Bella glanced down at her baby girl.

Hugging her a little tighter to her chest, Nessie nuzzled her head against Bella's chest; still holding on to Jacob's shirt.

"Aro, Renata, Felix and Demetri walked to the middle of the field with Edward. Edward told me to bring Renesmee and a few friends. Emmett and Jacob came with Ness and I. Edward ducked under Aro's arm and joined us, taking my hand in his."

Bella leaned her head on Edward shoulder.

"We had a 'friendly' conversation. During so Jane found out that Aro had sent me a wedding gift, which pissed her off!"

Bella laughed lightly, without humor.

"Anyways Aro asked to meet my daughter. I quickly moved my shield to protect everyone behind and beside me and it felt wrong not having Renesmee under my shield. But this is what we'd hoped for. We wanted peace and this was part of how we were going to attain it."

Renesmee reached up and placed her hand on her mother's cheek again.

Bella nodded.

"If you wish."

Edward nodded his head as well.

Nessie climbed off of Bella's lap and came over to Charlie and I.

She placed her hand on Charlie's cheek and he gasped out loud.

He held her tiny hand against his cheek.

Charlie shuddered a couple times and when Nessie was done he pulled her into a hug, which she returned gratefully.

Charlie whispered something to little Nessie and hugged her again.

Charlie reluctantly let go of Renesmee and she came over to me.

She smiled softly at me and I knew I was forgiven for the robot fit I had earlier.

Nessie reached up and placed her hand on my cheek again; I was excited to see what happened.

My sight was suddenly shifted to see what Renesmee had seen.

_A very scary man with long black hair and bright red eyes came into view._

_"Aro." Nessie told me mentally._

_I nodded, letting her know I under stood._

_This Aro cleared his throat. "May I greet your daughter, lovely Bella?" he asked my daughter sweetly._

_I could see Edward, Jacob and Emmett beside Bella._

_All I could see of Bella was some of her long brown hair._

_I could see that Nessie was cradled against Bella's chest._

_"But she's exquisite," Aro murmured._

_"So like you and Edward." And then he said a little louder, "Hello, Renesmee."_

_Renesmee looked up at Bella quickly and Bella nodded._

_"Hello, Aro," Renesmee answered formally in her high, ringing, bell like voice._

_Aro's creepy eyes were bemused._

_"What is it?" Someone hissed from behind Aro. He seemed extremely infuriated._

_"Caius." Little Nessie told me mentally again._

_"Half mortal, half immortal," Aro told him and the rest of ; what I assumed to be the guard, without turning his creepy gaze from Renesmee._

_"Conceived so, and carried by this newborn while she was still human." Aro continued._

_"Impossible," The one named Caius scoffed._

_"Do you think they've fooled me, then, brother?" Aro's expression was greatly amused, but Caius flinched._

_"Is the heartbeat you hear a trickery as well?"_

_Caius scowled, looking as chagrined as if Aro's creepy but gentle questions had been blows._

_"Calmly and carefully, brother." Aro cautioned, still smiling at Renesmee._

_"I know well how you love your justice, but there is no justice in acting against this unique little one for her parentage. And so much to learn, so much to learn! I know you don't have my enthusiasm for collecting histories, but be tolerant with me, brother, as I add a chapter that stuns me with its improbability. We came expecting only justice and the sadness of false friends, but look what we have gained instead! A new, bright knowledge of ourselves, our possibilities."_

_Nessie shuddered as she showed me the next scene._

_Aro held out his hand to Renesmee as an invitation._

_But this was not what she wanted._

_Little Nessie leaned away from Bella, stretching upward, to touch her fingertips to Aro's pale, pasty face._

"_Aro did not react with shock, he was used to the flow of thoughts and memories from other minds just as daddy is."_

_Nessie grimaced as she thought this too me._

_She showed Aro everything._

_Her entire life._

_She had added a few pleads, that her family would not be harmed._

_Aro's smile widened, and he sighed in satisfaction. "Brilliant," he whispered._

_Renesmee relaxed back into Bella's arms._

_She was very serious._

_"Please?" Nessie asked him out loud._

_Aro's creepy smile turned gentle. "Of course I have no desire to harm your loved ones, precious Renesmee."_

_Aro's voice was so comforting and affectionate, it took me in for a second._

_I'm sure this creep was lying. I thought to myself._

_But I couldn't focus on my thoughts for too long as Nessie's story continued._

_I heard what sounded like teeth grind together._

_"Daddy." She told me mentally._

_"Maggie's hissed at the lie." Ness continued._

I shuddered violently as my vision returned to normal.

I pulled little Nessie, my granddaughter, my only grandchild into a hug.

I was overjoyed when she hugged me back.

Nessie pulled back, smiled at me and then went to back to her parents and Jacob.

She climbed back onto her mother's lap and then Bella continued where she left off.

"Aro then wondered if the werewolves could be loyal to him. Edward quickly told him that it would never happen."

Jacob snorted and rolled his big, dark brown eyes.

"Aro waved his entire guard forward and our tiny group returned to our original positions."

Oh crap my chills are back.

"Aro was convinced that Renesmee was not an immortal child."

Well that's good!

Wait didn't she already say that?

Oh well.

"Aro conferred with Caius."

Creepy one and Creepy two.

"The Volturi's witnesses grew uneasy."

Ha! Good!

"I inspected my shield and I wrapped it closer around my allies."

Go Bella!

"Caius then proclaimed that an alliance with werewolves was against their law."

Jacob rolled his eyes again.

Edward nodded his head towards Jacob; I guess in agreement.

"Edward explained that the wolves are shape-shifters, not true werewolves."

Wait what?!

"Caius called for Irina and Irina refused to make a formal complaint, and she took full responsibility for her mistake. Caius executed Irina."

What?!

Edward?

What?!

Edward whispered something to Bella and she took a shaky breath and looked over at Edward and he nodded.

Edward cleared his throat and began to explain.

"Then Caius, in an attempt to start a fight, he orders Irina to be killed. He also tried to use the werewolves as an excuse to attack, but I told them that the wolves weren't real werewolves, I referred to them as 'shape-shifters', and Aro agreed. Jacob and the rest of the wolves aren't what you would call 'real werewolves', they don't change once a month at a full moon. They shapeshift but only into wolves. I will explain more about it later."

I nodded and Edward continued.

"Caius took out the actual werewolves centuries ago. He whipped out most of the 'true, actual werewolves'. Like I said I will explain more about it later."

I nodded again understanding it better now.

Charlie was back to leaning forward.

"Anyways, Carlisle and Garrett had to restrain Irina's sisters, Tanya and Kate, when all this happened."

Nessie shuddered and reburied her face in Bella's hair.

"The Volturi witnesses were suspicious. Aro's need for an audience had backfired. Which made the Romanians murmur in glee."

Jacob muttered something, causing Edward and Bella to snort out a quiet laugh.

"Stop it Jake." Bella complained and her smile disappeared again.

She took a deep breath and then continued.

"Aro spoke with a few of our witnesses and the rest of the Volturi drifted closer."

I shivered again.

Stupid chills, stupid Volturi.

"Though they agreed that Renesmee was not an immortal child, they were not convinced that she would not become a threat. Then Aro declared that they needed to know with absolute certainty what Renesmee would become if she...if she were to live."

Bella choked out that last part, pulling Nessie even closer to her.

Charlie made a funky sound again.

Jacob and Edward both made a low rumbling noise.

I brought my legs back up to my chest.

"Garrett gave this great speech about tyranny and freedom, which amused Aro greatly."

Renesmee peeked out of Bella's hair again and then sighed.

She turned and faced Charlie and I again, but she was still leaning up against her mom.

She looked like she wanted to disappear.

"He also referred to Charles and Makenna. Charles is like a human lie detector. They knew something was up. Just like Maggie did."

Human lie detectors.

Cool!

Well not really human but still!

That's pretty awesome!

"More of the Volturi's witnesses retreated and a couple of ours did too. Then Aro, Caius, and Marcus counsel together."

Bella sighed again and pulled her daughter tighter against her.

"I could see the danger coming. I kissed Renesmee goodbye and  
>instructed Jacob to run away with her as soon as the Volturi were distracted."<p>

Nessie places her hand on her mother's cheek again and Bella nodded.

Renesmee hopped off Bella's lap and came over to Charlie and I again.

She of course went to Charlie first.

She whispered something to him and he nodded; kissing her on her forehead.

She placed her tiny hand on Charlie's face again and I watched Charlie's reactions.

He shuddered a few times and then made a choking sound.

Charlie let loose a couple of fat tears and they rolled down his face and disappeared into the caterpillar of a mustache of his.

I don't know if I want to see what Nessie is showing him.

When Nessie pulled her hand away, I could see she had tears running down her face also.

Charlie hugged her to him again and looked over at Edward and Bella and Jacob.

Edward nodded and Charlie smiled sadly.

Nessie removed herself from Charlie's lap.

She came over to me and sighed before she placed her hand on my cheek.

My vision changed as she showed me what she showed Charlie.

_Aro and the rest of the creepers were talking several yards away._

_I saw how everyone was standing and I could actually feel the tension and every other emotion._

_Bella removed Renesmee's arms from around her neck and whispered to Nessie._

_"You remember what I told you?"_

_Nessie's eyes welled up with tears, but she nodded._

_"I love you," she whispered to her mother._

_To my daughter._

_Edward was watching them now, his topaz eyes were super wide._

_Jacob stared at little Nessie and Bella from the corner of his big dark eye._

_"I love you, too," Bella said, and then she touched Nessie's locket. "More than my own life." Bella kissed Renesmee's forehead._

_I could feel tears running down my cheeks._

_I could feel what Nessie was feeling and it was hopelessness._

_In what Nessie was showing me Jacob whined uneasily._

_Bella stretched up on her toes and whispered into Jacob's ear._

_"Wait until they're totally distracted, then run with her. Get as far from this place as you possibly can. When you've gone as far as you can on foot, she has what you need to get you in the air."_

_Edward's and Jacob's faces were almost identical masks of horror, despite the fact that one of them was a wolf._

_Renesmee reached for Edward, and he took her in his arms. They hugged each other tightly._

_"This is what you kept from me?" Edward whispered over Nessie's head to Bella._

_"From Aro," Bella breathed her answer._

_"Alice?" Edward asked and Bella nodded._

_Edward's face twisted with understanding and pain._

_Jacob was growling quietly, a low rasp that was as even and unbroken as a purr. His hackles were stiff and his teeth exposed._

_Edward kissed Renesmee's forehead and both her cheeks, then he lifted her up to Jacob's shoulders._

_Nessie scrambled agilely onto his back, pulling herself into place with handfuls of his fur, and fit herself easily into the dip between his massive shoulder blades._

_My chest was tightening and I felt like I couldn't breathe._

_I watched from Nessie's eyes as Jacob turned towards Bella, his expressive eyes full of agony, the rumbling growl still grating through his chest._

_"You're the only one we could ever trust her with," Bella murmured to him._

_"If you didn't love her so much, I could never bear this. I know you can protect her, Jacob."_

_Jacob whined again, and dipped his head to butt it against Bella's shoulder._

_"I know," Bella whispered. "I love you, too, Jake. You'll always be my best man."_

_A tear the size of a large baseball rolled into the russet fur beneath his eye._

_I took a raspy breath and so did Nessie._

_She then showed me that Edward leaned his head against the same shoulder where he'd just placed her._

_"Goodbye, Jacob, my brother... my son."_

_Tears now completely flooded my eyes, I couldn't see anything but it really didn't matter I could see everything in my mind Nessie was showing me perfectly._

_My chest was super tight and I felt like I was going to crack in half._

_Nessie showed me that the others were not oblivious to the farewell scene. But their eyes were locked on the silent black triangle of creepy freaks, but she showed me that she could tell that they were listening._

_"Is there no hope, then?" A voice whispered. There was no fear in his voice. Just determination and acceptance._

_"Grandpa Carlisle." She told me mentally._

_I wish I could be as brave as Carlisle._

_"There is absolutely hope," Bella murmured back. "I only know my own fate."_

_Edward took Bella's hand again._

_Ness knew that her daddy knew that he was included in what her mother had said; that when Bella said 'my fate', there was no question that she meant both Edward and herself._

"_They are just two halves of the whole." Nessie told me mentally, before continuing showing me what she saw._

_Someone's breath was ragged behind them._

_"Grandma Esme." She told me mentally again._

_Esme moved past them, touching their faces as she passed, she stood beside Carlisle and took hold of his hand._

_Suddenly, they were surrounded by murmured goodbyes and I love you's._

_I still had tears flooding my eyes._

_Nessie took a shaky breath and showed me more._

_"If we live through this," A male voice whispered to Kate, "I'll follow you anywhere, woman."_

_"That's Garrett." She again silently told me._

_But it was as loud as it would have been if she had spoken out loud._

_Nessie showed me some more._

_"Now he tells me," Kate muttered._

_She showed me Rosalie and Emmett kissing quickly but passionately._

_She showed me a man and a woman._

_"Tia and Benjamin."_

_I nodded, letting her know I understood._

_"Tia caressed Benjamin's face. He smiled back cheerfully, catching her hand and holding it against his cheek._

_Renesmee showed me several more sad faces and then she showed me what she heard next._

_"Get ready," Bella whispered to the others. "It's starting."_

Nessie moved her hand from my cheek, gave me a weak smile and then ran back over to her mom.

She climbed back onto her mother's lap and buried her face in Bella's hair.

Bella and Edward both were whispering to her.

Jacob just placed one of his giant hands on little Nessie's back.

"As I'm sure Renesmee showed you; Carlisle acknowledged that there was no hope. There were goodbyes and murmured expressions of love from everyone."

Charlie and I both nodded.

"While the ancients pretended to 'counsel', the guard attempted to use their powers to immobilize us and our allies."

My chills that I had thought that went away, resurfaced and was now running down my spine.

Charlie was back in his stupid position again.

I swear he is gonna end up eating the carpet.

"Chelsea tried to break our emotional ties, but she couldn't find them, she couldn't find us. I had us hidden."

My daughter is awesome!

I glanced at Charlie and he had a smug smile on his face.

"I had them blocked by my power."

Go Bella!

I felt like a cheerleader!

"My gift became apparent in the fact that I can protect myself and others around me from all the Volturi's mental attacks. This causes the Volturi to rethink their position."

Ha ha ha!

Good!

Charlie smirk returned and he leaned back against the nasty sofa.

He looked completely satisfied.

Edward smiled at Charlie before pulling his daughter closer to his chest.

Bella squeezed Nessie's hand gently and continued.

"Edward asked me if I was shielding them, and I confirmed that I was. Jane kept sending sharp jabs at my shield, but my shield remained undamaged."

Charlie's movement caught my eye again.

He moved to slouch into the couch with his legs crossed.

"Jane was furious!"

Charlie chuckled deep in his throat and Edward joined him.

"Then Jane's twin brother Alec took over; a strange haze oozed toward my shield, but it just swirled harmlessly around the edges."

Nessie hopped up and touched Bella's cheek again and looked at her father.

They both nodded and she bolted over to Charlie and me.

She motioned for Charlie and I to lean forward and she touched Charlie's cheek with her right hand and mine with her left hand.

The scene she showed us looked about the same but it felt a little different.

She showed me and Charlie what she heard and what she felt.

She showed us what she knew.

_A low rumbling murmured through the ground under their feet, and a gust of wind blew the snow into sudden flurries between their position and the creepy Volturi's._

_The one she showed me as Benjamin had seen the creeping threat from Alec; and now he tried to blow the mist away from them._

_The snow made it easy to see where he threw the wind, but the mist didn't react in any way. It was like air blowing harmlessly through a shadow; the shadow was immune._

_The triangular formation of the creepy ancients finally broke apart and when, with a racking groan, a deep, narrow fissure opened in a long zigzag across the middle of the clearing._

_The earth rocked under their feet for a moment. The drifts of snow plummeted into the hole, but the mist skipped right across it, as untouched by gravity as it had been by wind._

_Aro and Caius watched the opening earth with wide eyes._

_Hahaha chickens!_

_The other ancient looked in the same direction without emotion._

_"That's Marcus." She said mentally._

_She showed me that the ancients, didn't speak; they waited, as the mist approached Nessie and the rest of them._

_The wind shrieked louder but didn't change the course of the mist._

_A creepy little girl with a black cloak on was smiling now._

_"That's Jane." She said mentally._

_Oh so that's the nasty, witch Jane._

_Then Nessie showed me that the mist hit a wall._

_"That's Mama's shield." She mentally explained._

_The mist curled upward, seeking a breach, a weakness._

_It found none. The fingers of searching haze twisted upward and around, trying to find a way in, and in the process illustrating the astonishing size of the protective screen._

_There were gasps on both sides of the gorge Benjamin's made._

_"Well done, Bella!" Benjamin cheered in a low voice._

_Bella's smile returned._

_Nessie showed me a young man that looked kind of like Jane._

_"That's Alec, Jane's twin." She said to us mentally again._

_Alec narrowed his eyes, doubt on his face for the first time; in probably his entire life, as his mist swirled harmlessly around the edges of Bella's shield._

_"I'm going to have to concentrate," Bella whispered to Edward._

_"When it comes to hand to hand, it's going to be harder to keep the shield around the right people." Bella said._

_"I'll keep them off you." Edward promised._

_"No. You have to get to Demetri. Zafrina will keep them away from me." Bella answered back._

_Zafrina nodded solemnly. "No one will touch this young one," she promised Edward._

Nessie removed her hand from my cheek and then Charlie's.

She looked at me until I nodded and did the same with Charlie.

She smiled softly and went back to her parents and Jacob.

She climbed onto her father's lap and retook Bella's hand in hers.

Bella took a deep breath and continued where she had left off.

"Aro called for a vote. Caius voted to destroy Renesmee and Marcus saw no immediate danger. Then Aro had to cast the deciding vote."

My stupid, stupid chills returned.

"Then suddenly, Edward stiffened at my side. "Yes!" he hissed. I risked a glance at him. His face glowed with an expression of triumph that I didn't understand - it was the expression an angel of destruction might wear while the world burned. Beautiful and terrifying."

Charlie shifted his weight forward again!

Moving back into his stupid, almost carpet eating position.

"Before the Volturi could declare a war, Edward asked to clarify one point. He asked Aro if we would be forgiven if we could prove that Renesmee was not a threat. Aro agreed."

It was my turn to lean forward.

Little Renesmee yet again looked at Edward and the came over to Charlie and I.

Nessie motioned for Charlie and I to lean towards her again and she placed her hands on out cheeks.

_She showed us Alice dancing into the clearing from the southwest._

_Nessie felt like the bliss of seeing Alice's face again._

_Jasper was only inches behind her, his sharp eyes fierce. Close after them ran three strangers._

_People I have never seen before bit what else is new._

_The first was a tall, muscular female with wild dark hair._

_"That's Kachiri." Nessie told us mentally._

_Charlie and I both nodded._

_"She has the same elongated limbs and features as the other Amazons, even more pronounced in her case." Nessie told us mentally yet again._

_She closed in on the second one._

_Showing us the next was a small olive-toned female vampire with a long braid of black hair bobbing against her back. Her deep burgundy eyes flitted nervously around the confrontation before her._

_And the last was a young man... not quite as fast nor quite as fluid in his run. His skin was an impossible rich, dark brown. His wary eyes flashed across the gathering, and they were the color of warm teak. His hair was black and braided, too, like the woman's, though not as long._

_He was beautiful._

_As he neared Nessie and the rest, a new sound sent shock waves through the watching crowd - the sound of another heartbeat, accelerated with exertion._

_Alice leaped lightly over the edges of the dissipating creepy mist that was at the edge of Bella's shield; and Alice came to a stop at Edward's side._

_Bella reached out to touch Alice's arm, and so did Edward, Esme and Carlisle._

_There wasn't time for any other welcome. Jasper and the others followed Alice through Bella's shield._

Nessie took her hands away and she smiled at us.

Charlie pulled Nessie on his lap and hugged her close.

He whispered something to her and Nessie placed her hand back on Charlie's cheek for a moment and that earned another hug from Charlie.

I was kind of jealous of their relationship.

Nessie smiled again and settled herself on Charlie's lap.

Bella smiled at us and leaned closer to Edward as she began talking again.

"Edward then invited Alice into the clearing. Alice had returned from South America with vampires Kachiri and Huilen and half-vampire Nahuel; to prove that Renesmee's future is safe to the vampire world."

Oh that's what Nessie was showing Charlie and I?!

I looked over at Edward and mentally asked him to explain more to me.

Edward sighed and began to explain it to me again.

"Alice, Jasper and Kachiri had found another human-vampire hybrid named Nahuel; who is able to convince Aro that the few hybrid vampires in the world pose no threat."

I nodded and then Bella continued from there.

"Huilen told their story; Nahuel is half-vampire, half-human; he matured at seven years old and had not changed since; he can drink blood or eat human food. Nahuel has sisters, all of whom are nonvenomous. Just like Renesmee. We won't get into their story."

I nodded in understanding; I glanced over at Charlie and he was smiling!

I couldn't help but to smile as well.

Nessie hopped of Charlie's lap and went back over to her mom.

She placed herself on Bella's lap and them Bella continued.

"Anyways so this persuades Aro and the rest of the Volturi to no longer see Renesmee as a threat."

Well finally.

I crossed my arms over my chest.

"Stupid Volturi." I muttered out loud.

Jacob chuckled lightly.

"And, more importantly, they were threatened and scared by Bella's gift, and leave in disgrace."

Edward added and hugged his wife closer.

Bella smiled brightly and looked down for a second.

Almost like she was embarrassed.

"Then the Volturi leave."

Charlie sighed and slumped back against the stupid, nasty sofa.

"Cheers erupted from us, our family and friends."

I know what she means!

I want to start jumping up and down.

Omg I was so giddy!

"I half-climbed the giant russet wolf to rip my daughter off his back and then crushed her to my chest. Edward's arms were around us in the same second."

Renesmee's smile was breathtaking.

Edward ran his fingers through his daughter's hair lovingly.

"I called her Nessie for the first time."

Little Nessie I looked up at her mother an Bella kissed her forehead.

"This caused Jacob to laugh his big, barky laugh and he poked the back of my head with his nose."

Bella glanced over at Jacob and nudged him on the arm with her shoulder.

"Yeah you told me to 'shut up' too." Jacob laughed and so did Edward.

Bella half laughs and half sighs.

"Renesmee asked me "I get to stay with you?" And I could promise her that she could."

Bella's smile widened and she pulled her daughter closer.

Nessie wraps her arms around Bella's neck.

"I promised Renesmee that we would be together forever. I knew now that I could keep that promise."

I could feel tears forming in my eyes.

I'm so glad everyone is safe.

I glanced over at Charlie and he had much of the same reaction I was having.

He was still slumped against the sofa and he had a stupidly happy smile on his face.

"We had forever. And Nessie was going to be fine and healthy and strong. Like the half human Nahuel, in a hundred and fifty years she would still be young. And we would all be together. We had forever."

Forever!

That's so great!

The giddy feeling in my stomach was getting stronger and I couldn't help but smile.

"Happiness just expanded like an explosion inside me - so extreme, so violent that I wasn't sure I'd survive it."

Charlie shifted his weight again and sat up like a normal person sits on a couch.

"Edward echoed 'forever' in my ear and I couldn't speak anymore. I lifted my head and kissed him with a passion that might possibly set the forest on fire. I wouldn't have noticed."

Charlie grunted and murmured something that I couldn't hear

Bella looked down as she realized we just freaked out her father.

I gasped out a laugh and I guess a breath of relief.

Nessie moved over and hugged her father.

Jacob sits up a little straighter and Bella leans even closer to Edward.

Bella clears her throat and began to speak yet again.

I couldn't wait to hear what else had happened.

And I wasn't being sarcastic.

I really wanted to know!

Little Nessie crawled over and sat with Jacob, while Bella sat even closer to Edward.

Seriously you couldn't get a piece of thin tracing paper between the two of them.

I glanced over at Charlie but he didn't seem too noticed.

"With the confrontation over and done with; thank God. Edward, Renesmee and I and the rest of our family are free to live our lives forever."

Awe!

I love happy endings!

Edward took a deep, unneeded breath and began talking for the first time in a while.

"After the confrontation I explained that The Volturi hasn't fought a fair fight in about twenty-five hundred years, give or take a few decades. And they've never, never fought one where they were at a disadvantage. Especially since they gained Jane and Alec, they've only been involved with unopposed slaughterings."

I shuddered and leaned into the sofa.

"You should have seen how we looked to them! Usually, Alec cuts off all sense and feeling from their victims while they go through the charade of a counsel. That way, no one can run when the verdict is given. But there we stood, ready, waiting, outnumbering them, with gifts of our own while their gifts were rendered useless by Bella. Aro knew that with Zafrina on our side, they would be the blind ones when the battle commenced."

Edward smiled and took another deep breath.

"What?" I asked out loud, I was slightly lost again.

Edward sighed and began talking again.

"I told everyone that Aro was actually scared, no terrified of a fight breaking out: after realizing the extension of Bella's power; which rendered all of the Volturi's powers useless, Aro realized there was a good chance that we and our allies could've destroyed them."

Oh well, why couldn't he have just said that in the first place.

I recrossed my legs and got comfy.

Well as comfy as I could get on this bloody couch.

"They have never been outnumbered before, the wolves frightened them, and they were terrified of Bella's power; Alice just gave them an excuse to get out of the fight."

Go Alice!

Hey I was a cheerleader again!

Hahaha, I giggled to myself.

Whoa, I am overly giddy.

"The Volturi's confidence had been shattered." Bella added with a smile.

"Well it is kind of hard to feel confident when you're surrounded by horse-sized wolves."  
>Jacob muttered.<p>

Edward and Bella laughed.

"Yeah that was another sight they've never seen. As I said earlier, I would explain more about the subject. The true Children of the Moon rarely move in packs, and they are never much in control of themselves. Seventeen enormous regimented wolves was a surprise they weren't prepared for. Caius is actually terrified of werewolves. He almost lost a fight with one a few  
>thousand years ago and he has never gotten over it."<p>

Edward explained in his amazing vocabulary.

"The full moon does affect true werewolves but silver bullets, not at all - that was just another one of those myths to make humans feel like they had a sporting chance. There aren't very many of them left though. Caius has had them hunted into near extinction."

Edward looked down at Bella as she began where he left off.

"Alice was prepared to show Aro something that would have struck him to the core. Alice had made up a false vision which I didn't even know she could do. But it was brutal from what Edward told me."

I glanced over at Charlie again and he was wide eyed and looking like he was going to eat the carpet if he moved forward anymore.

"Alice had Zafrina in on it as well. She told Zafrina to not say or think anything but if it was absolutely necessary to show Aro a very detailed, made up vision to blind him with. The vision of his own death and by Bella's hand no less."

Edward added, speaking calmly and clearly.

Charlie made a weird sound and leaned forward a little bit more.

Seriously!

How has he not face planted on the floor yet?!

"We and our allies, however, suspect that the Volturi will someday attempt to avenge the humiliation they suffered. Which is extremely unlikely since Aro is scared stiff of Bella. But we intend to gather again if it happens, to end the Volturi once and for all."

Good.

Stupid Volturi.

"All of our friends returned to their homes. The Romanians were extremely disappointed but have enjoyed the Volturi's cowardice."

Even in just this story the Romanians didn't seem right to me.

Edward chuckled lightly.

"The remaining Denali's return home to Denali, with their newest member, Garrett, who has joined them due to his mating bond with Kate."

Awe!

Another happy ending!

Good for Kate!

"Zafrina had me promise to take Nessie to see her."

Little Nessie looked up at her mother from her place on Jacob's lap.

"We will have to go soon. What do you think?"

Renesmee's face broke out in a huge grin and nodded her head quickly making her already bouncy curls bounce around.

"Okay we can make plans later."

Edward told her and Nessie smiled even bigger.

Jacob made a whining noise and Edward sighed.

"Yes Jacob, of course you can come too."

Jacob grinned and leaned back against the couch again."

"Anyways, I briefly talked to Jasper about why J. Jenks is terrified by 'Mr. Jasper' and I'd promised myself that night that I would take over the working relationship between us and J. Jenks. To spare poor J the heart attack that was surely on the way."

Edward chuckled again.

"Have you?" I asked out loud.

Bella looked over at me.

"We haven't had the need too. But I will whenever we need new documents."

I nodded and she continued again.

"Anyways we said goodnight to our family and the couple of friends that were still there. Nahuel and Huilen."

The half bred and his aunt right?

I looked over at Edward and he nodded.

"Nahuel had finally forgiven his self for killing his mother."

I shuddered again.

Stupid chills!

"Edward and I tucked our daughter into her bed and I threw Aro's gift in the corner of her room."

Charlie's movement caught my attention again.

He slumped back against the nasty couch and crossed his legs out in front of him.

"Then Edward and I were alone."

Charlie shuddered, causing me to giggle at him.

"Edward murmured that it was 'A night for celebrations,' and he put his hand under my chin to lift my lips to his. I told him to 'wait'."

Charlie sank further into the couch, uncrossing his legs as he did.

"Edward looked at me in confusion. As a general rule, I didn't pull away. Okay, it was more than a general rule. This was a first."

A small grumble from Charlie should be heard about...now.

Oh there it is!

Called it!

"I told Edward that I wanted to try something. His face was completely bewildered."

Charlie's eye twitched and I wondered why Bella was tormenting her father.

Even though I thought it was freaking hilarious.

"I put my hands on both sides of his face and closed my eyes in concentration. I hadn't done very well with this when Zafrina had tried to teach me before, but I knew my shield better now. I understood the part that fought against separation from me, the automatic instinct to preserve self above all else."

Charlie sat up a little.

What?

I missed something.

"It still wasn't anywhere near as easy as shielding other people along with myself. I felt the elastic recoil again as my shield fought to protect me. I had to strain to push it entirely away from me; it took all of my focus."

Oh she is talking about her shield.

Duh!

"When Edward whispered my name out in shock, I knew it was working, so I concentrated even harder, dredging up the specific memories I'd saved for this moment, letting them flood my mind, and hopefully his as well."

Charlie sat up a little further and he recrossed his legs.

Bummer I thought Bella was going to tell us some details.

Edward grimaced and leaned into Bella.

"Some of the memories were not clear - dim human memories, seen through weak eyes and heard through weak ears: the first time I'd seen his face... the way it felt when he'd held me in the meadow... the sound of his voice through the darkness of my faltering consciousness when he'd saved me from James... his face as he waited under a canopy of flowers to marry me... every precious moment from the island... his cold hands touching our baby through my skin..."

Awe!

I wanna see!

"And then the sharp memories, perfectly recalled: his face when I'd opened my eyes to my new life, to the endless dawn of immortality... that first kiss... that first night..."

Charlie made a weird noise between a squeak and gasp, without even opening his mouth.

Jacob made a weird noise too and earned a glare and a harsh whisper from Bella.

Jacob slumped into the couch and repositioned Nessie on his lap.

"Well Edward's lips, were suddenly fierce against mine and he broke my concentration."

Charlie made his weird noise again and re-slumped against the couch.

Good gosh why can't he hold still!

"With a gasp, I lost my grip on the struggling weight I was holding away from myself. It snapped back like stressed elastic, protecting my thoughts once again."

Charlie sat up again.

OMG he needs to hold still or I am going to push him off this disgusting couch!

"'I heard you. How? How did you do that?' He asked me."

Shoot I should have been paying attention to Bella instead of Charlie.

Oh well.

"I told him it was Zafrina's idea and that we had practiced with it a few times."

Oh yeah, it was about her shield and showing Edward something!

"He was dazed. He blinked twice and shook his head. I told Edward softly, 'Now you know. No one's ever loved anyone as much as I love you.' He said 'You're almost right. I know of just one exception."

Cueing weird noise from Charlie and a slump into the couch.

Yep there's the noise and oh oh oh yep there's the slumping.

"He started to kiss me again, but then stopped abruptly. He asked if I could do it again and I told him it was really difficult and he couldn't distract me. He promised he'd be good." Bella said this and rolled her eyes up at her husband.

Hahaha, yeah right.

"I pressed my hands to his face again, hefted the shield right out of my mind, and then started in where I'd left off - with the crystal-clear memory of the first night of my new life... lingering on the details."

Charlie shifted on the couch again!

He. Needs. To. Hold. Still.

Bella got Jacob to shut up and hold still!

Why can't Charlie!?

"Edward interrupted my efforts again when he urgently kissed me. I told him that we have plenty of time to work on it."

Bella looked up at Edward again.

"Forever and forever and forever." Edward murmured the words out.

"That sounds exactly right to me." Bella whispered back to him.

Edward brought Bella's head up to his and he kissed her lightly on the lips and then her forehead.

"Can you explain it again please?" I asked Bella.

Jacob and Charlie both groaned and slumped further.

Stupid boys.

Bella laughed and shook her head.

"Yeah to sum it up, I pushed my shield away from my mind, and then Edward was able to read my thoughts for the first time, showing him how much I really love him."

Edward whispered something to Bella, causing her to smiled and nod her head.

Well why couldn't she have just said that to begin with!

"Which brought us even impossibly closer. Closer than I ever thought possible."

Awe!

Happy endings!

Happy endings!

"Our happily ever after begun there. We were all safe and sound."

Yay!

Are we done now?

Edward nodded slightly.

Little Nessie yawned and it looked like she was going to fall asleep.

I looked over at the clock and it was only 8:30.

We finished a lot sooner than I thought we were going too.

The big question now is; what is going to happen now?


	17. Chapter 16

Chapter Fifty-Two: Goodnights

Jacob stood up from the couch and stretched his log arms and legs.

He then grabbed the beautiful wooden box off of the coffee table.

The box that held all the scrapbooks and photo albums; with all those precious, precious pictures.

Jacob looked over towards Edward with a questioning look on his face and Edward nodded his head 'yes'.

Bella hugged both Charlie and I and it was a little awkward one armed hug because she had little Nessie in one arm.

Jacob nodded towards Charlie and I, clutching the beautiful box to his chest.

"I'll see you guys tomorrow." He said and then he walked towards the kitchen and then out the back door.

Didn't they have a car here? I thought to myself but then looked up at Edward; hoping he had heard me.

Edward smiled softly and shook his head.

"No Jacob took the car back earlier. We will just run home."

Charlie looked over at me and raised an eyebrow before nodding and looked back over to our daughter.

Charlie whispered something under his breath and Bella nodded, hugging him again.

Still with the secrets!

I could feel my face getting hot from being extremely annoyed.

I took a deep breath to calm myself and I realized Bella and Charlie were still talking quietly.

Bella sighed then smiled, readjusting her sleeping daughter in her arms.

Edward nodded and Charlie gave him a hug.

Bella walked over to me and gave me another awkward, one armed hug.

"We will be back in the morning. Get a good night sleep mom. Merry Christmas." Bella smiled and I couldn't believe how beautiful she was.

Well she was always beautiful but now she was, wow.

I nodded my head and muttered 'goodnight and Merry Christmas' back to her.

Bella looked back over at Edward.

He came over and I pulled; well sort of pulled him into a hug.

He came on his own, I could never move him!

He was way too strong.

I sighed and sent my thoughts towards him.

_"Thank you. Thank you for taking care of my daughter and my granddaughter. You truly are Bella's other half, her soul mate. Thank you for telling Charlie and I. Thank you, Edward for everything."_

Edward's smile brightened and he pulled me into another hug.

You could actually feel the gratitude rolling off of him.

"Thank you, Renee. We'll see you both in the morning. Merry Christmas."

Edward reached out and took Bella's free hand.

Then they were gone.

Charlie and I heard the back door shut but that was it.

No footsteps, boards creaking, nothing.

Charlie sighed and unplugged the lit up Christmas tree and grumbled something under his breath about having to take down all the decorations in a few days.

I cocked my head to the side.

I bet one of the Cullen's would do it.

Mm I will have to remember to ask Bella tomorrow.

"Well I'm turning in Renee. I'm beat, goodnight." Charlie yawned out his words, bringing me out of my thoughts.

Charlie walked up the old stairs and I followed him up.

Charlie made his way into his room to join Sue.

A sudden feeling of jealously coursed threw me but left as fast as it came.

I continued further down the hallway past the bathroom to Bella's old bedroom.

I had thought that Seth and Leah would be staying in here but they still mainly live on the reservation in their old house.

But they do stay here sometimes.

When I entered the room there was two beds instead of just one.

I sighed and wandered over to the one on the left, the bed that had been Bella's.

I rummaged through my bag and got my pjs and bathroom bag out; and then I wandered across the hall to the bathroom.

The only bathroom in this house.

No wonder Seth and Leah don't stay here all the time.

I quickly got ready for bed and rushed back across the hall.

I tossed my bathroom bag back in my suitcase, and placed my suitcase on the floor.

I tossed my clothes on the floor too, next to my bags.

I didn't bother putting them up.

I pulled down the covers of the bed and climbed in.

It took me a while to finally get comfortable then I just laid in Bella's old bed and stared up at the ceiling.

I couldn't think of anything to really help me grasp all that I was told earlier today.

I really couldn't believe it, but somehow I do and I have too.

I never in a million, billion years thought that I would be old something like this and to this magnitude.

I sighed and turned over to face the wall.

I knew I was going to have crazy dreams about vampires and werewolves or shape shifters whatever they are called.

I just hoped that the dreams aren't scary, filled with the Volturi, crazed vampires, fighting and death.

I shuddered and pulled the blanket over my shoulders more, hiding my face in the purple and black comforter.

The next thing that I knew was someone was knocking on the bedroom door.

I looked around and I was surprised that it was morning.

I had no dreams? I had no dreams?!

Frustrated I climbed out of bed and opened the door to see Charlie with a cup of coffee in his hand and in his scruffy morning voice.

"Merry Christmas, Renee."

"Merry Christmas." I grumbled back to Charlie.

I was still extremely mad at the fact that I didn't have any dreams.

Why?!

I mean why couldn't I have had just one dream!

I mean come on!

I shook my head and I sighed as I followed Charlie down the old stairs.

The stairs creaked under the weight and movement of our feet.

When I turned the corner to go into the kitchen I saw that Sue was already up.

She was sitting at the kitchen table in one of the four mismatched chairs.

She had a newspaper in one hand and a mug full of hot coffee in the other.

Sue looked up at us as we entered the kitchen and smiled.

"Good morning Renee, and Merry Christmas."

I smiled and said the same thing back to her.

Why was she so darn happy?!

It is way too early to be in that good of a mood.

Wait.

What time is it anyways?

I looked up and over at the microwave and I saw that it was eight in the morning.

I took a deep breath and let it out in a huge sigh.

Man, I hate mornings.

I got me some coffee and I slumped into one of the open chairs at the table.

After I finished my coffee I placed the cup in the sink and walked towards the stairs.

I have to leave today.

I sighed again, as I thought about it.

I didn't want to leave but I promised Phil that I would spend Christmas dinner with him.

Why did I promise him that, why?

I was kinda freaking out that I couldn't tell him anything!

But I knew it was better for everyone if I just kept me big mouth shut.

Hey, no one would believe me even if I did say something.

I never would say anything either; I promised Bella and Edward and everyone else!

Why did it sound like I am trying to talk myself out of saying anything?

And why am I asking myself all these questions?!

Oh. My. Gosh.

I am going crazy!

I shook my head and I wandered back up the old, creaky stairs to pack up all of my things back into my suitcase.

I didn't have much since I only stayed one night.

I crammed my dirty clothes into my bathroom bag and shoved my bathroom bag into my old, blue suitcase.

I fumbled my way back down the stairs.

Just as I was placing my suitcase by the front door under the coatrack and as I walked back into the kitchen; I heard the front door open.

I peeked around the corner to see that it was just Seth and Leah.

They seemed to be arguing quietly at each other, but when Seth started laughing I realized they were just being siblings.

"Hi, Renee! Merry Christmas!" Seth greeted me warmly.

I return the welcome and Seth and Leah disappeared into the living room.

Charlie grumbled something about them being out all night and he followed them into the living room; with Sue in tow.

I walked into the living room and I sat down in the same spot that I sat in all last evening.

On the nasty couch, I hated this couch.

I noticed that Seth and Leah were sitting on the floor by the other couch.

Why were they sitting on the floor?

Why not sit on the nice, clean couch?

I heard the back door open and in came Jacob, followed by two other big, shirtless Quileute guys.

I don't care if they are big, hot blooded wolves.

If there is snow outside you should have a shirt on!

At the site of Jacob and the two other guys, Seth and Leah stood up and went over to them.

Jacob was talking quietly to the four of them and then Seth, Leah and the other two boys went back out the back door.

"Working them on Christmas, Jake? Shame on you." Sue asked with a soft laugh, as she looked up from her magazine.

Jacob laughed lightly and came to sit on the arm of the good couch.

"No Sue, not really just having them head to the Cullen's for breakfast. Esme made a big Christmas morning breakfast for every. Well everyone that eats food anyways."

Sue smiled and nodded, going right back to her magazine.

I don't know why the simple action of her and her stupid magazine bothered me, but it did.

"Are all of the Cullen's coming over or?" Charlie asked Jacob.

"Um, yeah, we all opened presents this morning and then Esme had me get my pack to go eat breakfast. They will just run over to say bye to Renee."

About ten minutes of talking about nothing and me being extremely bored out of my mind, I hear the back door open again and in came Alice, Jasper, Rosalie and Emmett.

They all greeted me the same way Seth and Sue did this morning; well except for Rosalie.

I just got a smile out of her.

They were all standing around and were talking about nothing I really cared about.

Where was my daughter?

Esme and Carlisle walked in about ten minutes after Emmett, Jasper, Rosalie and Alice did.

Esme hugged me and wished me a Merry Christmas.

"We can't stay long we just wanted to see you before you left." Alice said, as she stepped forward.

Esme and Carlisle nodded and smiled towards her.

They were keeping secrets!

Never mind I don't wanna know.

I have been told way too many secrets in the last twelve hours to last me a lifetime.

Rosalie never approached me but she smiled and waved as she disappeared from the room.

I am guessing she went out the back door.

Emmett smiled and gave me a giant bear hug, but he was very gentle not to crush me.

He too then disappeared.

Jasper did the same thing Rosalie did; he never approached me and then vanished.

Alice gave me a big hug and prattled on about something and then she hugged Charlie; she then followed Jasper back out the back door.

Carlisle smiled at me again and gave me a gentle hug.

"Have a safe flight, Renee." I nodded dumbly and he stepped back and Esme hugged me again.

They said a quick goodbye to me, Charlie, Sue and Jacob before vanishing out the back door.

After they left Charlie and Jacob continued to talk about nothing of interest to me.

Good for them.

I am glad they were having such a good time.

I rolled my eyes.

Where was my daughter?!

I was getting very impatient!

Sue stood up and went into the kitchen and when she didn't come back, I knew she was sitting at the kitchen table, working on her project.

Whatever it was anyways; Sue was way too shy for my taste.

And quite frankly she bugged me.

I sighed again and slumped into the sofa.

I started playing with a hole in the arm rest when I heard the back door open again.

I sat up a little straighter and looked towards the kitchen.

Edward and Bella walked in with little Nessie following them, clutching Bella's hand in her little, long fingered hand.

My daughter hugged me.

"Merry Christmas, mom!"

Edward gave me a gentle hug and said 'Merry Christmas' to me also.

We all sat down and talked for a while.

It was great just to talk about normal stuff.

Jacob looked over at the clock and sighed.

"I have to go over to my dad's. I will see you guys later."

Jacob then wished me a safe flight and then went out the back door.

I glanced at the clock and sighed, much like Jacob did.

It was ten thirty and I had a twelve o'clock flight.

"Well I am just going to call myself a cab. I don't want to leave but I have a plane to catch at noon." I said as I stood back up and walked towards the kitchen; where the phone was.

"Nonsense, we will drive you." Edward said, stopping me from going to the phone.

"Are you sure?" I asked.

"Of course!" Bella smiled at me.

I smiled back and sighed.

I am so happy I don't have to take a cab!

And I also get to spend more time with my daughter and her little family.

Edward picked up little Nessie and Bella stood by his side.

I thanked Charlie for letting me stay there and for helping me surprise Bella.

This really was a Christmas surprise.

I said my goodbyes and we all walked towards the front door.

Edward picked up my suitcase in his free hand.

He is such a gentleman!

I wish Phil behaved like him.

Edward chuckled lightly and smiled.

Charlie and Sue walked us outside to the front porch, they stopped to stand under the shelter.

It had just started to snow again.

I hate the snow!

When we reached the shiny, silver Volvo, Edward opened the passenger door for Bella and then opened the back door for me.

Renesmee was in his free arm, smiling like a kid in a candy store.

She was just enjoying life and catching tiny snowflakes in her little hand.

She showed one to Edward and he smiled and kissed her temple.

He whispered something to her as he walked around the car and placed Renesmee in her car seat.

He then went to the back of the car to put my suitcase in the trunk of the Volvo.

I sat quietly in the backseat with Renesmee, completely lost in my thoughts.

You really didn't even want to know what I was thinking.

You couldn't even imagine.

I sighed again as Charlie and Sue waved to us from the porch shelter.

Edward gets in the driver's seat and we pull away from Charlie's house.

I could hear Bella talking quietly to Edward over the soft purr of the engine, but couldn't make out anything she was saying.

Edward sighed and took Bella's left hand in his right while he drove with his left.

Bella glanced back at Renesmee who was being a perfect little angel.

She was reading Moby Dick.

The book looked even bigger in her little hands.

I couldn't even get through that book!

But yet, that didn't say much.

Bella looked over to me and we started talking about nothing and everything.

We talked about Phil's new team, how I am still loving Florida and about the weather in Florida.

We talked about how her life has been in the last year after the threat of the stupid Volturi.

We talked about Charlie's wedding, some things about the wolves, the things Renesmee loved to do.

The hour long drive to Port Angeles took us only about thirty minutes and I couldn't even tell that we were even driving that fast.

We pulled up to the airport and Edward opened my door for me again.

He disappeared behind the car to get my suitcase out of the trunk of the Volvo.

Bella got Renesmee out of the backseat.

Bella and Edward walked me into the airport terminal and they walked with me as far as they could go without a ticket.

Little Renesmee was holding Bella's hand and was looking around at everything around her.

She was just smiling and people were cooing over her; even though she didn't seem to notice.

I pulled my daughter into a hug and I felt like crying.

I released Bella and I gave Edward a hug.

"I love you both." I whispered to Edward and my daughter.

I crouched down to Renesmee's level and opened my arms.

Little Nessie ran into my arms.

"And I love you too, little one."

A big smile appeared on Renesmee's face.

"I love you too, Grandma." She said in her tiny, bell like voice.

I felt tears prick my eyes again.

I quickly blinked them away.

I stood up and pulled Bella into another hug.

"I love you, mom. We will see you soon and we will talk to you sooner."

I nodded and Edward smiled over at us.

I walked up to the gate and turned back to look at my family.

All three of them waved to me.

I wiped tears away and waved back.

I turned and boarded the plane.

I finished my short, silent walk through the weird loading area to the actual airplane.

I was greeted at the door by the flight attendant or stewardess, I really don't know what to call them.

Anyways I was greeted by the overly smiley lady in a very tight skirt.

I wondered briefly how she moved about and did her job.

I nodded to her and walked around her.

I moved around a few people who were standing in the middle of the aisle way.

I was slightly frustrated that they had decided to have a conversation there.

I sighed and glanced back and forth as I looked for my seat, in the surprisingly full plane.

Once I finally found my seat I shoved my carry-on in the overhead thingy and plopped down into my horribly uncomfortable seat.

The tight skirt lady was prattling on about safety and emergency exits and yadda, yadda, yadda.

I didn't really care about anything she was saying.

I leaned back into the seat and crossed my legs as I looked out the tiny window next to my seat.

It had stopped snowing and it was just horribly gloomy.

I sighed again as we were taxied out to the runway.

Well here we go.

….

I guess I was completely lost in my thoughts because when the pilot's voice came over the speaker, I jumped.

I thought I was going to hit my head on the buttons above my head.

He told us that we would be landing in about twenty minutes.

Before I knew it, the pilot announced that we had arrived and we were free to get our belongings and leave.

I felt like he should have just said, 'Get out! I wanna go home!' His tone wasn't pleasant at all.

I was super excited to see Phil.

I missed him and I wished I could tell him about my granddaughter.

But I knew I couldn't.

My granddaughter!

I love the thought!

I took my good ole time getting all my stuff together and getting off the plane.

I walked through the crowded terminal and started looking for my husband.

When I found Phil I ran over and greeted him warmly.

Phil and I walked to his car and we had a wonderful conversation flowing between us about Bella, Charlie and the family.

I just couldn't tell him any of the truth.

Phil helped me throw all my stuff in the trunk of his old Honda and then he walked to the driver's side of the car.

So he wasn't going to open my door for me.

Hmmph

I sighed and got in on my side of the car.

Phil told me what he did yesterday and that his parents stopped by.

All I could think about is what I did yesterday, and what I was told.

But Phil just prattled on about his mom's nasty fruitcake.

Before I knew it we pulled into our driveway.

Phil and I brought all my stuff inside and placed it under the unneeded coat rack by the door.

He said something about putting our dinner in the oven so we could eat and then he left me standing in the living room with all of my belongings from my short trip.

Phil and I had a nice quiet Christmas dinner and after we finished eating, he volunteered to do the dishes and believe me I let him.

I was exhausted and overwhelmed.

While Phil did the dishes I went to the landline and called the new number Bella gave me for her and Edward.

She answered on the three ring and we talked for almost an hour.

We talked about meeting up with in the next year and that they were going to be movie within the year as well.

Something about Carlisle's cover story age.

That they would keep in touch and still visit Charlie frequently.

After I hung up the landline I walked back into the kitchen where Phil was getting our dessert ready.

We had his mother's left over fruitcake for dessert and boy was it gross.

After dessert I put everything away while Phil turned on a Christmas movie on the tv.

I joined Phil on the sofa and we watched whatever movie it was and after it was off Phil kissed the top of my head and walked upstairs for bed.

After he disappeared up the stairs I looked around my living room and sighed.

Well I guess it was really good to be home, but I really wished I had more time to spend with Bella.

I shook my head and treaded up the stairs.

I walked down the hall to mine and Phil's bedroom.

I got ready for bed and then joined Phil.

While Phil was snoring away I thought back to everything Bella and I had talked about over the phone and what we all talked about at Charlie's.

I have no idea how everything is going to change and what is going to happen now.

But I am just glad to have Bella back in my life, and my beautiful granddaughter.

Only time will tell.

I am just glad that I had a wonderful Christmas surprise!


	18. Chapter 17

Chapter Fifty-Five: Epilogue

_One Year Later…_

The shrill annoying ring of the phone made me jump from where I was sitting on the couch.

I hopped up and rushed into the kitchen to answer the landline.

I can't believe we still have it!

Oh well!

"Hello?" I breathed into the phone.

_"Hi mom,"_

"Bella! How are you?"

"_Fine mom, very good. Wonderful actually. How are you and Phil?"_

I smiled into the phone.

"Phil and I are great he is now coaching the local high school baseball team full time and coaching little leaguers on the weekends!" I felt like I was bragging about my husband but I didn't care.

"_That's great, mom! Edw…"_

"Oh! How are you and Edward?!" I interrupted her and then added quietly. "and little Nessie?"

I could hear Bella chuckled through the phone.

"_We are all great mom. Edward and I are well, we are perfect. I have never been happier. Renesmee just finished her second year of high school work, she should be finished with the entire high school curriculum by the end of this summer."_ Bella told me.

"High school! But she is just a little girl! She needs to play and stuff! You shouldn't be pushing her so hard! After all you guys live forever!" I quietly huffed into the phone, I know she could hear me perfectly.

Why was Bella pushing Ness so hard!

"_Oh my gosh, Renee calm down! She really just works on it a couple hours or three hours a day. It's her choice of when she plays and when she studies. She learns extremely fast and remembers everything. So she only has to do stuff once or twice and she has it covered."_ Bella explained through the phone.

"_And well, mom since Ness can't go to school, she learns everything at home."_ Bella continued.

"Why can't she go to school?" I asked; I had a funny feeling I was missing something.

"_Oh mom, you know why. She grows too fast."_

"Oh right, right say no more. I had a stupid moment." I interrupted my daughter again; I really need to stop doing that.

"So how do you get the work and teach her." I asked another question I probably didn't need too.

After all I already knew they were all super smart and could do pretty much anything.

"_We get different curriculums off the internet and she does them. We all teach her mostly Edward and I but Esme helps a lot too. Esme used to be a teacher after all. Renesmee has been learning different languages and instruments from her father. Everyone teaches her different things. She just really loves to learn."_ Bella tells me all about how smart Ness is.

"That's great! How is Esme and Carlisle and well everyone else." I asked, still wanting to talk to my daughter; but I didn't really know what to say.

"_Fine everyone's fine. Carlisle and Esme just returned from their two month stay on Isle Esme." _

That's right! They have their own freaking island!

"_Rosalie and Emmett are about to leave for a couple week for a trip to Pairs for their anniversary."_

Lucky, rich, beautiful vampires.

"_Alice has been working on a secret project. None of us knows what she is up too. Jasper might but he isn't telling us. Jasper has been teaching Renesmee history and just loving it."_

Bella took a deep breath.

"_Seth and Leah are with us a lot of the time. Embry and Quil hang out some too, but not nearly as much as Seth and Leah. And of course Jacob is always here."_

I smiled to myself thinking about how wonderful it must be to be about of that family.

"_That's about it mom. I can bore you with everything we do but it will take too long. So where did you and Phil go with the plane tickets we got you for Christmas last year?"_

I felt myself get giddy!

"Oh, Bella! We went to the Bahamas! It was amazing!" I felt like bragging again.

"_That's great mom! Well Edward and Renesmee just got back from hunting with Jacob I better hang up."_

I sighed.

"Ok, Bells. Love you!"

"_Love you too, mom. I'll call again soon and we can meet up sometime soon."_ Bella said and I smiled.

"Sounds great."

I sighed again as I hung up the phone and walked back into the living room.

I can't believe it's been over a year since Bella and Edward told me their secret.

We have never been closer and I know we will stay close forever.

I can't believe it all started with a Christmas surprise.


	19. Author's Note

Okay so here is the scoop. Out of requests given to me via PM I reposted the original version of 'Christmas Surprise' so here is it. I combined a lot of the chapters so I didn't have to post 50 plus some chapters. Please follow and review on the revamped version.

Thank you my lovelies!

Sunshine


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